[00:00:03]
PRESENT TODAY FOR OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL.
HERE TO START OUR MEETING TODAY IS PASTOR WHEATLEY BELL WITH CARTER CHAPEL, CME CHURCH.
[INVOCATION]
PASTOR BELL. GREETINGS.IF YOU WOULD PRAY IN YOUR OWN WAY, AS I PRAY.
THAT HONORING YOU AND DOING YOUR WILL IS THEIR HIGHEST PURPOSE, THAT ANY PORTION OF POWER THEY ENJOY IS GIVEN BY YOU AND CAN BE TAKEN AWAY.
SO WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE GLORIFIED TODAY THROUGH THE DECISIONS OF THIS CITY COUNCIL.
WE PRAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE EYES TO SEE HOW OUR LIVES ARE ALL CONNECTED AND HOW OUR COMMON GOOD IS UPHELD WHEN WE WHEN THEY LISTEN AND RESPOND TO THOSE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US.
WE PRAY THAT YOUR KINGDOM WOULD COME IN AMARILLO, TEXAS, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN THROUGH YOUR POWER, WORKING IN EACH OF THESE YOUR SERVANTS. MAY YOUR TRUTH BE REVEALED.
MAY YOUR LIGHT SHINE BRIGHTER.
MAY THE VOICES OF THOSE MOST SILENCED BE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR.
THROUGH THIS GOVERNING BODY TODAY WE PRAY FOR WISDOM, FOR STRENGTH, FOR COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD FOR ALL CITIZENS, PRESENT AND FUTURE.
MAY YOUR SERVANTS PUT THESE INTERESTS, PUT THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS ABOVE THEIR OWN.
MAY THEY ACT WITH LOVE AND FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
MAY THESE SERVANTS BE GOOD NEIGHBORS, RECOGNIZING YOUR IMAGE IN EVERY PERSON.
WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR, OUR CITY STAFF, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR HOSPITAL STAFF AND ALL THOSE WHO WORK TO MAKE THIS PLACE WE CALL HOME SUCH A WONDERFUL CITY IN THE NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
WOULD YOU JOIN US, PLEASE, IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AND I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO OUR CITY MANAGER.
[ANNOUNCEMENT]
ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT OUR ADDY AWARDS AND I'M GOING TO BRING UP OUR DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND INNOVATION, FORMERLY KNOWN AS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, JORDAN SCHUPBACH, TO WALK US THROUGH IT AND TO ALLOW US TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR TEAM THAT HAVE DONE SOME REALLY NEAT THINGS.THANK YOU. YES, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND INNOVATION FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
THIS IS A NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION WITH LOCAL CHAPTERS.
AT THAT BANQUET, WE WERE HONORED TO RECEIVE SIX DIFFERENT AWARDS.
I'D LIKE TO JUST LIST THEM FOR YOU VERY QUICKLY.
WE RECEIVED AWARDS FOR CREATIVE EXCELLENCE IN ADVERTISING AND AWARENESS FOR THE CATEGORIES AND ANIMATION, SPECIAL EFFECTS AND MOTION GRAPHICS FOR OUR WIC EVERY STEP CAMPAIGN ART DIRECTION IN OUR WIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN FOR OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS INTEGRATED INTEGRATED PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR OUR WIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.
AGAIN, VIDEO EDITING FOR OUR STATE OF THE CITY.
THEY THEY WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES OF ALMOST EVERY CITY EFFORT AND CITY PROGRAM, MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITIZENS ARE AWARE OF OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR OFFERINGS AND OUR PROJECTS.
SO THE MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICE ARE JOY STEWART, KRISTEN [INAUDIBLE] DAVE HENRY, MONICA SILVA, CHASE BRADY AND ISAIAH SMITH AND SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY.
[00:05:01]
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME ON.EXCELLENT. [APPLAUSE] FOR CITIZENS WHO MIGHT BE WONDERING WHAT IS WIC? IT IS THE WOMEN'S INFANT AND CHILDREN'S.
IF I BLEW THAT ACRONYM, SOMEBODY PLEASE CORRECT ME, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW WE MANAGE FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDED PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT WOMEN AND INFANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. FOOD INSECURITY PROGRAMS, BREASTFEEDING, INFANT CARE, A LOT OF GREAT PROGRAMS, VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, AND SO THEY RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT GRANT FROM THE STATE AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND TURN IT DIRECTLY INTO FUNCTIONAL ADVERTISING AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, AND SO THE EFFECT OUR OFFICE IS HAVING IS BEING ABLE TO USE THESE DOLLARS MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANTLY AND EFFICIENTLY VERSUS GOING OUT TO HIRE A LOCAL MARKETING COMPANY. WE CAN DO SO MUCH MORE IN-HOUSE NOW THAT THE DOLLARS GO SO MUCH FARTHER.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE. WHO'S GOING TO TAKE IT IF MONICA DOESN'T TAKE IT? [CHUCKLING] WE HAVE AN ASSIGNEE. WE GOT DONNIE.
OH, OKAY, OH, DONNIE, NO, DONNIE MOVES THE PODIUM.
[CHUCKLING] DONNIE IS IN CHARGE OF MOVING STUFF.
OH, WE GOT JOHNNY. IT ALL RHYMES.
ARE WE GOING DOWN THERE? UH, LET'S JUST STAND BEHIND.
DOES THAT WORK? I THINK OPTICALLY THAT WORKS.
WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
IT'S MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY.
NEXT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA IS THE PUBLIC ADDRESS PORTION.
[PUBLIC ADDRESS]
I'LL PASS THE MICROPHONE TO OUR CITY SECRETARY AS MODERATOR.THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.
AT EACH POSTED MEETING, WE INVITE OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS. EVERY SPEAKER HAS THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL.
WE ASK THAT YOU STAY WITHIN YOUR THREE MINUTES ALLOTTED.
SO IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON A PUBLIC HEARING, WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO SO DURING PUBLIC ADDRESS OR DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING ITSELF TO HELP US KEEP BETTER RECORDS OF OUR MEETING AND IT'S UP TO YOU AT WHICH TIME YOU WISH TO SPEAK.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS, AND PLEASE STATE IF YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR ON OR AGAINST AND THE ITEMS THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL INVITE UP JEFFREY MCGONIGAL AND ON DECK AFTER MR. MCGONIGAL IS JAMES SCHENCK.
IT'S NOT MINE, AND I WON'T TAKE UP FOUR MINUTES TO DO THIS.
THIS IS FROM THE GREAT [INAUDIBLE] MR. MCGONIGAL, IF YOU DON'T MIND ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL, I KNOW IT'S SO HARD DOING THAT.
PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE SIDE AND IT'LL KEEP YOU FACING FORWARD.
I'LL GET IT. I'LL GET IT, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND TILTING THE MICROPHONE DOWN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [INAUDIBLE].
HE'S GOT 81 OF THE [INAUDIBLE], NUMBER 23 BY [INAUDIBLE].
HIGH WINDS DO NOT LAST ALL MORNING.
HEAVY RAINS DOES NOT LAST ALL DAY.
WHY IS THIS? HEAVEN AND EARTH.
IF HEAVEN AND EARTH CANNOT MAKE THINGS LAST FOREVER, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US? THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE DAO ARE AT ONE WITH THE DAO.
THOSE WHO ARE VIRTUOUS EXPERIENCE VIRTUE.
THOSE WHO LOSE THEIR WAY ARE LOST.
WHEN YOU ARE AT ONE WITH THE DAO.
WHEN YOU'RE AT ONE WITH VIRTUE, VIRTUE IS ALWAYS THERE.
WHEN YOU ARE ONE WITH LOSS, LOSS IS EXPERIENCED WILLINGLY.
THOSE WHO DO NOT TRUST ENOUGH WILL NOT BE TRUSTED.
[00:10:02]
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT. TRUST.TRUST. IF WE CANNOT TRUST OURSELVES, WE CANNOT TRUST OTHERS AND OTHER WORDS WILL NOT TRUST US.
I'VE TRAVELED I-40 WEST, AND I'VE ASKED THE FOLKS, I'VE ASKED THE PEOPLE WITH THE NEW LEADERSHIP COMING IN, WHAT IS IT YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING? AND THEY SAY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR LEADERS.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR LEADERS AGAIN.
SO I LOOKED HIGH AND LOW FOR TRUST.
I FOUND IT'S BEEN DEAD AND BURIED.
OKAY, THEREFORE, AN INDICTMENT COMES DOWN.
AN INDICTMENT OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE OF TRUST.
IN THE PENALTY, ACTUALLY GUILTY AS CHARGED.
SO THE PENALTY IS NO, NO, NO, AND I AM SPEAKING FOR THE PEOPLE.
OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES ACROSS ANY OF THESE AGENDAS UNTIL THE NEW LEADERSHIP COMES IN, THE PEOPLE SAY, NO, NO, NO. THE PEOPLE SPEAK.
I'VE GOT TO GO SWEEP THE FRONT STEPS.
NEXT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER, JAMES SCHENCK.
YOU'RE GOOD. OH, I HAD EXTRA 30 SECONDS.
JAMES SCHENCK, CITY OF AMARILLO.
SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO LAUGH, AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REALLY BE SERIOUS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M WANTING TO TALK AGAIN WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER IS ADJUSTMENT IN THE PUBLIC ADDRESS BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, HERE WE ARE HAVING TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY DISCUSSION ON PER SE BEFORE WE NEED TO SPEAK ON.
SO WE'RE SPEAKING AT A TIME WHERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS KIND OF AN ADJUSTMENT, BUT AN ADJUSTMENT SHOULD HAPPEN TO WHERE EVEN IN HOUSE BILL 2840, IT TALKED ABOUT WHERE WE COULD SPEAK AFTER THE AGENDA ITEM WAS DISCUSSED AND STEP UP AT THAT TIME, BUT THAT'S NOT OFFERED TO US HERE.
OKAY, NOW BACK TO SOMETHING ELSE.
WE GOT A PARKS AND REC THING GOING ON HERE IN A MINUTE FROM THE BOARD, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY CONFUSING BACK WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN PARKS AND ABOUT TO CLOSE THE ZOO AND ABOUT TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT HAD THE CITIZENS IN AN UPROAR OF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE WERE ONLY FUNDING THEM $100,000 OR SO AND THEN WE HAD A 49 CENT PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT WAS GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THERE TO REALLY PUT THREE AND A HALF OR SO MILLION TOWARD THE PARKS.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE WENT TO ABOUT $0.40 TO $0.41, BUT YET WE STILL HAD THE MONEY TO PUT ON THE PARKS AND TO DO THE LIGHTING AND THE THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT STILL GOT FUNDED, AND I KNOW THERE WAS A LARGE VALUATION INCREASE ON ALL PROPERTIES WHICH ADDED SOME MONEY TO THE COFFERS.
NOW, I WISH YOU WOULD JUST DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS AND REC AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED THERE, AND YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE SEE WE'RE PUTTING UP PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 150,000 AT EACH PARK AND DOING THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS GOOD.
ONE OTHER OR TWO OTHER THINGS.
I WAS THE PID'S NOT IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE EXCEPT YOU LIVE IN THE PID, BUT I SEE SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON WITH TRI-STATE OVER THERE AT THE HILL, WHATEVER THAT ADDITION OVER THERE. OKAY, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
THE VETS IN THE YOU KNOW, WE'RE FIXING TO PAY $325,000, WHICH AND THAT'S FOR HIRING FIVE VETS.
IS THAT THE BEST USE OF OUR MONEY ON THAT? DO WE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE AND WE'RE JUST CONTRACTING WITH THOSE PEOPLE, MAYBE AN EXPLANATION THERE, AND THEN ONE THING IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MAYBE THAT'S WHERE YOU COULD DISCUSS.
[00:15:01]
DROPPING THE ONGOING APPEAL OF THE FAIRLEY LAWSUIT AND GET THE CITY OUT OF THAT COST THAT IS COSTING RIGHT NOW TO DO THAT. IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.THANK YOU. OKAY, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE SOME STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
I WILL PASS THE MICROPHONE BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER.
ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FREQUENTLY LATELY, WE'RE ANNOUNCING A COUPLE MORE KEY PERSONNEL IN THIS CASE, ASSISTANT DIRECTORS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VACANCY IN THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES POSITION.
WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT NEW DIRECTOR, RELATIVELY NEW DIRECTOR, JOHN COLLINS, WHO'S BROUGHT A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE, AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH AND I KNOW FLOYD WOULD BACK ME ON THAT, ON HOW MUCH THAT JOHN BRINGS TO THE TABLE, BUT THIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT IS A FOLLOW ON AND A REFLECTION OF THE TALENT THAT JOHN'S BROUGHT TO THE POSITION.
MICHAEL PRICE, IF YOU'D STAND UP.
GO AHEAD AND COME ON UP TO THE MIC. I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.
[CHUCKLING] BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, MICHAEL PRICE, HE'S AN EXPERIENCED ENGINEER.
HE'S WORKED IN THE WATER AND WASTEWATER INDUSTRY IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AND COUNTRIES OVER 23 YEARS.
MICHAEL IS A DUAL CITIZEN POSSESSING BOTH CANADIAN AND IRISH CITIZENSHIP.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MICHAEL IS AN AVID SUPPORTER OF THE SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS.
ANYWAY, SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS.
WE'RE ALL SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS FANS NOW AND THEIR FORLORN QUEST TO WIN THE CANADIAN FOOTBALL TITLE, AND HE'S A GROWING ICE HOCKEY FAN, PROUD FATHER OF FOUR; ELDEST IS NOW STUDYING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING IN OTTAWA.
NOW, MICHAEL HAS LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD, FROM IRELAND TO AUSTRALIA TO A NUMBER OF OTHER PLACES.
MICHAEL, TELL US, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? OH GOSH, START OFF IN IRELAND, WORKED IN THE UK FOR A WHILE, ENDED UP IN AUSTRALIA AND THEN CANADA.
I WAS MOST RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA, AND FROM THERE I'VE COME TO AMARILLO.
SO EVERYTHING, ALL ROADS END IN AMARILLO.
[CHUCKLING] ALL ROADS LEAD TO AMARILLO.
I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED WITH HIM, AND IN THE SHORT TIME THAT HE'S BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH HIM ON SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS AND HE CLEARLY HAS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE. SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE HIM AS OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
IT'S A BIG DEAL. MICHAEL, WELCOME TO AMARILLO, AND NOT TO DIMINISH ANY OF YOUR INTERESTING RESUME OR CAREER QUALIFICATIONS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU MIGHT BE ON A QUEST TO PICK UP INTERESTING ACCENTS, AND I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE LANDED IN A GOOD PLACE TO ADD TO YOUR REPERTOIRE.
WELL, HOPEFULLY IN ANOTHER SIX MONTHS.
[CHUCKLING] MICHAEL, WHAT WORD HAVE WE ENCOURAGED YOU TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR DIALECT? I THINK IT WAS YOU'LL.
Y'ALL, GOT TO STRETCH IT OUT A LITTLE BIT, MICHAEL: Y'ALL.
WE'LL KEEP COACHING YOU ON THAT.
DREW, ARE YOU IN HERE? WHERE ARE YOU AT? THERE HE IS. STAND UP AND SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE.
COME ON UP TO THE FRONT, JUST IN CASE ANYONE HAS ANYTHING FOR YOU.
DREW'S BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
PRIOR TO JOINING AMARILLO, DREW WAS THE CITY MANAGER [INAUDIBLE].
DREW EARNED HIS CP--CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER, DON'T WANT TO START USING ACRONYMS. CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER DESIGNATION THROUGH TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY IS ALSO A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL THROUGH THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
HE'S BEEN AWARDED THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP FELLOW AWARD IN 2018.
DREW HAS RETAINED HIS MASTER PEACE OFFICER LICENSE AND IS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, PRESIDENT ELECT OF THE HIGH PLAINS CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL HUMAN RESOURCE ASSOCIATION AND SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE PANHANDLE CITY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION.
HAPPILY MARRIED, BEAUTIFUL WIFE, CINDY, AND THEY HAVE THREE THREE KIDS.
THAT'S A LOT, BUT CLEARLY, DREW BRINGS A LOT OF VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE TO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HIM WITH US, AND JUST WELCOME TO DREW.
THANK YOU. WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU, AND I AM FLUENT IN TEXAN.
[00:20:02]
WELL, YOU CAN HELP MICHAEL.YEP. ALL RIGHT, AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
OKAY, I HAVE ANOTHER ONE READY FOR YOU, BUT WE'LL SAVE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
MOVING ON THEN, TO AGENDA ITEM 1A, WHICH IS TO REVIEW THE AGENDA ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA FOR ANYTHING, ANY QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED UP FRONT, COUNCIL.
OKAY, MOVING TO 1B IS AN UPDATE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ON SERVING ON OUTSIDE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
[1.B. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]
DR. SAUER, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE PARKS AND REC BOARD? YEAH, I GOT A LONG ONE.OH, OKAY, IT WAS QUITE A MEETING, BUT FIRST, CAN I ADDRESS THE STATEMENTS MADE EARLIER JUST TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR? SURE. OKAY, SO THE ONE THING THAT WAS SPOKEN CORRECTLY ABOUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION WAS THE 3.1 MILLION.
THAT WAS THE ONLY THING SPOKEN CORRECTLY BY THE WAY.
THE 3.1 MILLION WAS IN THE BUDGET REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE HAD THE VOTER APPROVED RATE OR WE HAD THE STANDARD RATE, WE HAD BAKED THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
ADDITIONALLY, IF WE HAD HAVE DONE THAT YEAR OVER YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR, AN ADDITIONAL AN ADDITIONAL 1.4, BUT THE 3.1 IS YEAR OVER YEAR BASICALLY TO TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON.
SO THAT WAS IN THERE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE PASSED THE VOTER APPROVED OR WE DIDN'T PASS, THE VOTER APPROVED THE PART WITH THE LIGHTS, THAT WAS A CO THAT WE PASSED AS A COUNCIL AND THERE'S GOING TO BE AN UPDATE ON THAT, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S HAVING A PRETTY BIG EFFECT, AND THEN THE LAST THING WAS ABOUT THE FUNDING FOR THE PLAYGROUNDS.
IT CAME OUT OF ARPA FUNDS THAT WERE LEGITIMATELY PLACED IN THE ABILITY FOR US TO UPGRADE THE PLAYGROUNDS AND THAT WAS COMPLETELY FEDERAL FUNDING BASICALLY THAT WE WERE GIVEN AND SO THAT'S HOW THE PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN DONE.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY, SO AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THERE WAS AN INSINUATION THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THAT MULTIPLE TIMES IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS. SO I RESPECTFULLY SAY IT SOMETIMES IS DIFFICULT BASED ON HOW OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS TO KEEP THE SAME THREAD GOING, AND SO PERHAPS YOU MISSED THAT, BUT WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY DISCUSSED EVERYTHING THAT WAS JUST REPORTED AND ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SAUER TO FINISH THE REPORT, AND ACTUALLY THERE'S SOME TO BE SAID IN HERE ON THAT.
ANYWAY, SO THE INTERESTING THING WAS THIS MEETING WE HAD THE MEETING OUT AT THE WARFORD CENTER LAST WEDNESDAY, AND IT WAS AND ALSO THOSE OF US THAT WERE ON THAT COMMITTEE, IF WE CHOSE TO, THEY TOOK US ON A TOUR THROUGH TO LET US SEE HOW THINGS WERE GOING, AND ACTUALLY, IF THE PUBLIC HAS NOT BEEN OUT TO SEE THE WARFORD CENTER, YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME TIME AND YOU NEED TO GO OUT THERE AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL IS AND THERE'LL BE A FEW THINGS IN HERE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR IT.
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW STAFF CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME MORE STAFF CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING, AND ALL OF THESE EVERY TIME MICHAEL HIRE SOMEBODY NEW IT, YOU DON'T THINK IT CAN GET ANY BETTER, BUT IT KEEPS ON GETTING BETTER.
SO, I MEAN, KUDOS TO MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THEM.
ONE OF THE ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THAT HAPPENED IS AND WE DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF IT IS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED OR HAVE HEARD YET THAT THE ZOO DID REPLACE THE TIGER. THE PROBLEM WAS THEY COULDN'T GET A TIGER.
THEY ALMOST HAD A TIGER, BUT THE TIGER WENT SOMEPLACE ELSE.
THEY BEAT US TO IT. SO NOW THEN WE'VE GOT A BLACK PANTHER.
SO YEAH, SO WE NOW HAVE A BLACK PANTHER OR A JAGUAR AT THE ZOO AND ITS NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
THEY WERE TRANSFERRED FROM A SANCTUARY IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE GOT TO SEE SEVERAL PICTURES OF IT, AND YOU DO WANT TO GO OUT AND SEE THIS ANIMAL AT THE ZOO? IT'S A PRETTY COOL ANIMAL TO BE ABLE TO TO SEE, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ATTRACTION AT OUR ZOO, AND AMARILLO ON THE ATHLETIC SIDE OF THE DISCUSSION, IT WAS THAT THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH FOUNDATION HAS BEEN SIGNED.
IT'S A TEN YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT.
[00:25:02]
IT INVOLVES RICK KLEIN, JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL, AND IT'S LEASED TO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH FOUNDATION, AND SO WHAT THAT IS, IS THAT'S THE MAKEUP OF THE KIDS, THE BASEBALL AND THE GIRLS FAST PITCH SOFTBALL, AND SO WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS GIVES THEM SOME OWNERSHIP IN IT, AND SO THE MONEY THAT THEY WILL BE DOING UPGRADES ON THAT, THAT WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT ALL OF THE PLAY THAT THEY'RE DOING, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, AND ALSO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A CITY BECAUSE NOW WE'VE GOT TWO OF THE COMPLEXES ARE LEASE TO BE MAINTAINED, AND SO NOW THEN THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO FOCUS ON THOSE TWO FACILITIES, BUT CAN NOW TURN THEIR FOCUS TO THE OTHER FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH THE YOUTH, BASEBALL AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US, AND I WOULD SAY, LIKE IF YOU COMPARE US TO THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, LUBBOCK HAS GOT 5 OR 6 DIFFERENT LITTLE LEAGUE LEAGUES THAT ARE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND SO THE FACT OF BEING ABLE TO PUT ALL OF THESE TOGETHER.THE GROUP, THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH FOUNDATION, THEY DECIDED WE WOULD DO A WHOLE LOT B ETTER TOGETHER THAN WE COULD FIGHTING CONSTANTLY AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR TIMES AND SLOTS AND MAINTENANCE AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH AS YOU GO ON DOWN THE LIST, AND SO IT IS GOING TO BE A REAL KUDOS FOR YOUTH SPORTS HERE IN AMARILLO AND ACTUALLY FOR US IN OUR MAINTENANCE, AND IT WILL HELP US WITH OUR MAINTENANCE.
ON THE BEAUTIFICATION AND PUBLIC ART SIDE OF IT, THE BLOOMBERG GRANT, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US, HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND THAT COULD BE UP TO $1 MILLION THAT COULD BE SPENT ON BEAUTIFICATION AND ARTS IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, AND THAT IS, EVEN IF WE WHATEVER WE WOULD RECEIVE FROM THAT GRANT CAN BE DIRECTLY USED FOR BEAUTIFICATION, AND SO IT WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US, AND IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED AND THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE SPRING.
THE MURAL GRANT PROJECT, THEY HAD FIVE APPLICANTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED AND JUST WAITING FOR THE APPROVAL FROM THE CITY MANAGER, AND I THINK JARED MAY HAVE ALREADY HAVE DONE THIS ALT ADVENTURE SPACE, FIESTA FOODS, TWO NINE INVESTMENTS, HIGH PLAINS FOOD BANK AND DON HARRINGTON DISCOVERY CENTER ALL FIVE OF THOSE ARE GOING TO HAVE NEW MURALS IN PLACE BY THE TIME OCTOBER ROLLS AROUND, AND THIS HAS TURNED INTO BEING SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ARTISTS IN AMARILLO, ESPECIALLY ON MURALS, AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GREAT.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS THE BEAUTIFICATION, PUBLIC ARTS AND PARKS AND REC HAVE PUT TOGETHER A SUBCOMMITTEE.
THEY'RE CALLING IT THE MPO SUBCOMMITTEE, AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS THEY'RE MEETING DIRECTLY WITH THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND THE MPO, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO HAVE AN EFFECT UPON EXACTLY IF WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN THIS EARLY AS WE'RE DEVELOPING THE LOOP THAT GOES AROUND TOWN, THEN IF YOU WANT WALKWAYS, IF YOU WANT BICYCLE WAYS, IF YOU WANT BEAUTIFICATION, IF YOU WANT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT DRESS UP AS PEOPLE ARE GOING AROUND THE EDGE OF AMARILLO, YOU BETTER GET IT ON THE EARLY SIDE OF IT, AND SO THEY PUT A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND THE MPO AS THEY DEVELOP THOSE AS FAR AS THE CAPITAL PROJECTS GO.
SO HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT ON THE LIGHTING PROJECTS OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, THE MARTIN ROAD COMPLEX AND THE SOUTHEAST COMPLEX, CONTRACTORS ARE ALMOST FINISHED AND THEY'RE MAKING THEIR FINAL CONNECTIONS ON THE LIGHTING, AND YOU OUGHT TO DRIVE OUT THERE.
I WAS DRIVING BY SOUTHEAST PARK LAST SATURDAY, AND IT'S OBVIOUS YOU CAN TELL THAT THE LIGHTS ARE UP.
SOUTHEAST WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR USE UNTIL SUMMER BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE THEY PUTTING THE LIGHTS IN PLACE, BUT THEY'RE SPENDING SOME NEEDED TIME ON THE TURF TO GET THE TURF BACK INTO A GOOD CONDITION AND THOSE WHO'VE BEEN PLAYING BALL OUT THERE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS EXTRA TIME WORKING ON THE TURF IS GOING TO BE A MUCH NEEDED THING.
THEY'VE ALREADY POURED THE CONCRETE BASES FOR THE LIGHT POLES AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BORING LINES AND INSTALLING PANELS AND THE LIGHT POLES ON THE CONCRETE BASES.
THE JOHN STIFF SOCCER FIELD, THE CONTRACT IS CURRENTLY IN THE BORING PROCESS.
THE CONTRACTORS WILL INSTALL THE CONCRETE BASES AND LIGHT POLES AS WELL.
AMARILLO NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER WILL BEGIN ONCE JOHN STIFF SOCCER FIELD'S BEEN COMPLETED AND THE JOHN STIFF COMPLEX, THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE BACK THE LIGHTING AT THE JOHN STIFF COMPLEX UNTIL THE WINTER AND GO AHEAD AND PLAY THROUGH THIS YEAR WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE THE FIELDS DOWN AND OUT OF PLAY
[00:30:08]
DURING THE MOST ACTIVE TIME.THOMPSON PARK, THE SWINGS AND THE SMALL BOAT SHOULD BE DELIVERED BY THE END OF APRIL.
SO THERE WAS FEEDBACK THAT WAS TAKEN AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS, AND SOME PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THINGS NOT BEING THERE THAT THEY WERE USED TO HAVING THERE, LIKE SWING SETS AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS AND JUST SO THAT YOU REALIZE THAT YOUR COMMENTS DO WAY THEY HAVE GONE BACK AND THEY HAVE REDONE SOME OF THOSE PLAYGROUNDS TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE WANTING ARE GOING TO BE IN PLACE.
IT'S ALSO SLOWED DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF THE OTHERS BECAUSE NOW THEN THEY'RE GOING BACK AND REEVALUATING WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLAN WERE FOR PARKS, THOSE PARTICULAR PLAYGROUNDS, TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THINGS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN THERE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IN THERE.
SO PLEASE, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE IF YOU'VE GOT A COMPLAINT OR YOU'VE GOT A KUDO, THAT YOU ARE LETTING THE CITY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO IT DOES HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS TURN OUT.
ALAMO AND WILL ROGERS, THEIR PARKS, THE SITE HAS BEEN PREPPED AND THEY'RE READY FOR INSTALLATION.
WEST HILLS' PARK AND THE EAST PARK.
THE PLANS FOR THESE PARKS WE APPROVED THEM LAST MONTH, SO THEY'LL BE IN PROGRESS TO BE STARTED.
JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL PARK AND STEPHEN F AUSTIN.
THE NINTH STREET TRAILS PARKING LOT, IT'S STILL WAITING ON APPROVAL AND THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT THING THAT WE'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH. IT'S LEAVING MY MIND.
YEAH. SIX PACK HAS BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO AMARILLO, AND THE FACT THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH US TO DEVELOP ALL THESE BIKE TRAILS ALL OVER TOWN. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE TRAILS, YOU NEED TO GET OUT ON YOUR BIKE AND GET OUT ON SOME OF THESE TRAILS.
SO WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE LAKE HOUSE AT THOMPSON PARK.
PROPOSALS FOR DEMOLITION HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND THEY'RE WAITING FOR APPROVALS FOR THE NEXT STEP.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE THAT WILL BE REDONE.
ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS, WELL, NO, IT'S NOT ONE OF THE LAST THINGS.
THE NEXT THING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WERE GOLF OPERATIONS, AND THAT'S ANOTHER PERSON THAT I THINK NEEDS TO SHOUT OUT GEORGE [INAUDIBLE] WHENEVER WE STEPPED INTO THIS AND ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, THE $2 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE WERE RUNNING IN THE GOLFING OPERATION THAT'S BEEN CUT DOWN TO BETWEEN 600 AND 700K AND IF ANYBODY'S STEPPED UP AND DONE THE PART TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, IT IS GEORGE AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON WHAT THEY CALL THEIR HAPPY HOUR, AND THAT HAPPY HOUR HAS TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH A HIT THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT BECAUSE NOW THAT THE ROUNDS ARE INCREASING ON THE GOLF COURSE AND IT'S GETTING USED REALLY KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE'D LIKE TO END UP SEEING IT BEING USED ON.
IF ANY OF YOU ALL PLAY VIDEO GAMES, THEY HAD A SMASH BROTHERS COMPETITION.
I'M A LITTLE OLDER THAN MOST OF THE VIDEO GAME THINGS.
MINE WAS, ATARI 5200 IS THE LAST TIME I THINK I SAW A VIDEO GAME SET.
THEY'VE HAD SEVERAL THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON AND THEY'RE FUTURE EVENTS.
SO THEY'RE CONSTANTLY COMING UP WITH EVENTS THAT THEY WANT TO GET KIDS AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND SO THEY'VE GOT LIKE ANOTHER TEN EVENTS THAT ARE SET UP TO COME SOON.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S ALSO HAPPENING IS SENIOR SERVICES HAS KIND OF BECOME HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER PARKS AND REC, AND SO THEY HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY OCCURRING OUT AT THE WARFORD ACTIVITY CENTER, AND SO IF YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH THE SENIORS IN AMARILLO, THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON, IS LOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT AT THE WARFORD ACTIVITY CENTER, AND THERE'S A LOT THAT'S BEING OFFERED OUT THERE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I ACTUALLY GOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT.
[00:35:01]
SO THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THAT.SO THERE'S YOUR UPDATE FOR PARKS AND REC.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR. SAUER? COLE, ANYTHING? NO, MA'AM.
SO ACTUALLY, JUST ONE QUESTION.
NO, BUT YES? YES, NO AND YES, BUT, SO LAST ONE, AND THEN I'LL ASK TWO MORE.
RIGHT. SO HOW LONG WILL YOU GET TO SIT ON THAT BOARD, AND CAN WE KEEP YOU ON THAT BOARD, LIKE, INDEFINITELY? I JUST THINK YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK FROM PARKS AND REC AND EVERYBODY THAT'S DOING THIS, BUT THAT IS SO MUCH WORK JUST FOR US TO KIND OF GRASP IT, BUT WHEN YOU REALLY GET OUT THERE AND SEE IT, AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD WHEN YOU LEAVE, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOARDS.
YEAH, AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THAT BOARD.
I THINK, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT'S A COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.
IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, THIS COUNCIL HAS STARTED PUTTING LIAISON MEMBERS ON THOSE CITY BOARDS.
WE DID NOT HAVE ONE ON PARKS AND REC THAT I RECALL UNTIL ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
THAT'S RIGHT, AND SO AND I DON'T THINK IT'S CONTROLLED BY RESOLUTION OR ORDINANCE.
I THINK IT IS JUST COUNCIL PREFERENCE.
THANK YOU. OKAY, I THINK IT'S LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM ONE C, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON BUILDING
[1.C. Update on Building Safety Department;]
SAFETY DEVELOPMENT, THE BUILDING SAFETY DEPARTMENT.SORRY. MR. CITY MANAGER. ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN BUILDING SAFETY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT ANDREW FREEMAN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHO'S GOING TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
WE'VE ALSO GOT JOHNNY SHOLL, DIRECTOR OF BUILDING SAFETY, WHO'S GOING TO FOLLOW UP AND BAT CLEANUP.
BOTH WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL HAS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AND SOME OF IT STARTED YESTERDAY.
SO JUST WANT TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR YOU.
FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN THIS CONVERSATION REALLY STARTED BACK IN JANUARY 2021 WAS OUR LAST UPDATE THAT REALLY CAME CAME ABOUT FROM THE SUMMER OF 2020. WE WERE FACING SOME CHALLENGES, WHETHER IT WAS CUSTOMER SERVICE CHALLENGES.
WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PLAN REVIEWS OUT INSPECTIONS.
SO WE TOOK THAT AS A CHALLENGE AND WORKED TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
WE'VE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE THAT PRESENTATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO COVER A LITTLE OF THE HISTORY AND THEN AFTER I TOUCH ON SOME OF THAT, JOHNNY'S GOING TO COVER SOME OF THE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND JUST SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING RECENTLY AND OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO SINCE WE'VE HAD SOME OF THESE CHANGES.
SO WE BROUGHT OUT AN OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OUR OPERATIONS.
THEY COMPARED US TO DIFFERENT CITIES.
THEY LOOKED AT OUR BUDGET, OUR STAFFING, OUR CERTIFICATIONS, ALL OUR QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND REALLY GAVE US SOME ADVICE, SOME OPINIONS ON WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD, SOME CHANGES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT.
IT LOOKED AT SALARY REVIEW, WE HAD A COUPLE ORG CHART RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE HOW WE COULD DO MORE THINGS TO TRY AND GET THE COMBINATION INSPECTORS AS WELL AS HOW WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER JOB OF REPORTING JUST SO THE CUSTOMERS, THE CITIZENS KNOW WHAT BUILDING SAFETY HAS BEEN UP TO AS FAR AS THEIR PERFORMANCE, AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS, PLAN REVIEWS, PERMIT NUMBERS.
SO IN JUNE 2020, WE HAD AN INITIAL REORG THAT PLACED BUILDING SAFETY UNDER A PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES UMBRELLA, ALONG WITH FIRE MARSHAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THAT WAS REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS, HAVE SOME MORE OVERSIGHT AS FAR AS HOW THOSE DEPARTMENTS INTERRELATE WITH EACH OTHER. WE DURING THE PROCESS HAD A BUILDING OFFICIAL RESIGN IN DECEMBER 2020.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT CAME UP DURING THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.
WHAT THAT LED TO WAS JOHNNY SCHOLL, BRIEFLY SERVING AS INTERIM BEFORE SGR HELPED PROVIDE US AN OUTSIDE INTERIM THAT SERVED WITH US FOR A LITTLE BIT AS WE WENT THROUGH THE OFFICIAL RECRUITMENT PROCESS.
THEY ALSO HELPED IMPROVE OUR PLAN REVIEW PROCESS.
NEW PERMITTING SOFTWARE HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME.
WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED A NEW PERMITTING SOFTWARE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.
[00:40:06]
IT DIDN'T PAN OUT QUITE LIKE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD.SO WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS.
WE UPDATED GOALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT, SO THAT FOCUSED ON IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE, REALLY HONING IN ON THE GOAL OF HOW MANY DAYS IT SHOULD TAKE US TO GET OUT PLAN REVIEWS, WHETHER IT'S RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL AND THEN ALSO OUR INSPECTION TURNAROUND TIMES WERE VERY IMPORTANT.
WE CONTRACTED FOR THIRD PARTY PLAN REVIEW.
THAT WAS DONE FOR QUITE A BIT.
WE'RE NO LONGER USING THIRD PARTY PLAN REVIEW.
JOHNNY WILL TOUCH ON THOSE NUMBERS HERE IN A MINUTE, BUT THAT'S REALLY ONE OF OUR STRONG POINTS NOW.
WE REALLY TURNED THAT PART AROUND.
WE'VE ADDED THE REPORTING WITH WEEKLY REPORTS, MONTHLY REPORTS.
THOSE ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SEE THOSE.
JOHNNY GOES TO ALL THE TRADE ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, JUST IMPROVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, BEING AVAILABLE TO TALK ABOUT CONCERNS, TAKE FEEDBACK SO WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS , AND THEN WE ALSO JUST BEING MORE PROACTIVE, WE'D ALWAYS HAVE THOSE CASES THAT THERE WAS A PERMIT SITTING THERE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMMUNICATION.
CALL THEM, CHECK ON THEM, SEE.
IS THERE AN ISSUE? IS THE PERMIT STILL ACTIVE? AND REALLY JUST BEING PROACTIVE THERE.
THE LAST ONE WAS UPDATING CODES.
THAT IS A PROJECT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON.
WE STARTED DOWN THE PATH OF ONE ADDITION AND NOW WE PUSH IT TO THE 2021 CODE.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY COMING UP HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS OR SO.
SO WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY HAVING SOME OF THESE ISSUES, WE WERE SITTING AT 36 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND I'VE MENTIONED HERE 28 RELATED TO PLAN REVIEW INSPECTIONS, REALLY THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ASPECTS.
SOME OF THAT STAFF THAT FOCUSED ON CODE COMPLIANCE WILL BE MOVING OVER TO THAT NEW DEPARTMENT.
SO I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY SHOW YOU THE INCREASED STAFF LEVELS ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
SO WE WENT FROM 28 FOCUSED ON THOSE AREAS TO 34 IN OUR MOST RECENT BUDGET, AND DURING THAT RECENT BUDGET WE ALSO GOT CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION FOR THREE NEW EMPLOYEES TO FOCUS ON INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE WE COULD KEEP UP THE HIGH PERFORMANCE IN THOSE AREAS.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE FUNDS GO INTO ADDING SERVICES TO THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THEN THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.
JOHNNY SCHOLL WAS SELECTED AS THE PERMANENT BUILDING OFFICIAL.
PROBABLY THE GREATEST THING ON THIS LIST I'M MOST PROUD ABOUT WAS HIM TAKING THAT POSITION.
HE'S REALLY JUST ADDED A LOT OF FOCUS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE, BEING PROACTIVE.
HE'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE IF SOMEBODY HAS AN ISSUE AND JUST REALLY WORKS TO RESOLVE THINGS.
SO VERY EXCITED THAT HE'S GOING INTO HIS SECOND YEAR IN THAT POSITION.
FALL 2021, WE HAD SOME SALARY ADJUSTMENTS.
THAT'S BASED ON THE SKILL SET THAT WE HAVE ON STAFF.
THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE, BUT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SKILLS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A DEDICATED ROOF INSPECTOR AND A DEDICATED CONCRETE SPECIALIST.
THIS WAS REALLY BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT JOHNNY RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES WE WERE HAVING, WHETHER IT WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT TO ROOFING INSPECTIONS IN TIME, NOT MEETING THE TURNAROUND TIMES FOR CONCRETE INSPECTIONS, THIS ALLOWS US TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE AND AGILE TO GET THOSE TAKEN CARE OF QUICKLY.
WE HAVE ONE DEPUTY BUILDING OFFICIAL POSITION.
SO IN THE PAST WE EITHER HAD THE TWO.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN.
THAT ALLOWS US TO FOCUS MORE ON THE PLANS, EXAMINERS, INSPECTORS AND OUR CHIEF POSITIONS MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO GOT QUITE A FEW FOCUSED ON PLANS. WE'VE GOT TWO FOCUSED ON COMMERCIAL PROJECTS AND FOUR FOCUSED ON RESIDENTIAL, SINCE THAT'S ONE OF OUR BUSIEST AREAS, WE DO HAVE ONE VACANCY AND HOPING TO FILL IT WITH A
[00:45:05]
POSITION THAT CAN BE KIND OF A COVER ALL BASES, JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PERMIT PLAN REVIEW SUBMITTALS ARE BRINGING IN AND THEN INSPECTOR VACANCIES. WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF POSTINGS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW FOR ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING.SO WHILE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADD STAFF, WE STILL ARE FINDING THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING THE QUALIFIED FOLKS TO COME ABOARD, BUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A LOT OF GOOD RETENTION AND GROWING THE DEPARTMENT FROM WITHIN.
SO WE'RE NOT HAVING AS MUCH CONSTANT TURNOVER AS WE DID TWO YEARS AGO.
SO THAT'S ALSO BEEN VERY POSITIVE, AND THEN NEW SOFTWARE.
WE HAD ONE SOFTWARE DIDN'T QUITE PAN OUT, BUT WE ACTUALLY LAUNCHED JUST THIS MONDAY, MGO CONNECT, WHICH IS MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE, IS A NEW SOFTWARE THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THIS WEEK.
STAFF'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO AND GOING THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING.
THIS THIS ORGANIZATION THAT WE WORKED WITH WAS HERE LAST WEEK DOING THE HANDS ON TRAINING WITH STAFF AND THEN THEY'RE STILL HERE THIS WEEK AS WE GO THROUGH THIS INITIAL LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY ISSUES THAT HAPPEN.
LUCKILY, WE HAVEN'T FOUND A WHOLE LOT, BUT WE CAN REALLY SEE THE BENEFIT OF MY GOVERNMENT ONLINE BEING AVAILABLE AND HAVING THE STAFF ON HAND FOR THAT INITIAL LAUNCH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THE MAIN ISSUES, BUT THIS SOFTWARE IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUSED, A LOT MORE REPORTING AND STREAMLINING.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO TEXT MORE AS FAR AS WHEN INSPECTORS ARE COMING TO THE SITE. IT'LL ALSO LET YOU DO A LOT FROM YOUR PHONE OR YOUR IPAD, AND THEN LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON UPCOMING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, LIKE I MENTIONED, WITH CITY MARSHAL'S OFFICE BEING FORMED.
WE'VE REALLY GOT A NEW VISION AND A NEW LOOK ON THIS DEPARTMENT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO KNOW ALL THE FEES COMING IN FROM BUILDING PERMITS ARE GOING TO BE FULLY DEDICATED TO THIS DEPARTMENT. SO WE'LL REALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE A HARD LOOK AS FAR AS WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE.
CAN WE LOOK AT THE CERTIFICATION PAYS THE DO WE LOOK AT ADDING NEW POSITIONS, JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE A CLEAN LOOK OF EXACTLY WHAT BUILDING SAFETY FOCUS IS ON AND MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO JOHNNY TO TOUCH ON JUST A PERFORMANCE UPDATE AND SOME OF THE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, AND THEN LIKE JARED SAID, WE'RE BOTH AVAILABLE FOR ANY GENERAL QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AFTER.
THEN WE'LL DO QUESTIONS. SORRY, JOHNNY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.
OH, NO PROBLEM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AS FOR HISTORY, THE SUMMER OF 2020 HIGH OF 53 AVERAGE BUSINESS DAYS TO REVIEW COMMERCIAL PLANS REDUCED TO 20 DAYS IN MARCH OF 2021, WHICH IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT, AND BEFORE THAT WE WERE PROBABLY A LITTLE SLOWER ON SOME HERE AND THERE.
WE WERE SHORT ONE PLAN REVIEWER.
WE'VE GOT A NEW ONE HIRED, SO WE'RE TRAINING.
WE HOPE TO GET THAT BACK DOWN TO ABOUT SEVEN DAYS.
OUR DEPARTMENT GOAL IS LESS THAN TEN DAYS FOR THE TURNAROUND COMMERCIAL PLAN REVIEW IS AVERAGE OF A LITTLE OVER ONE BUSINESS DAY FOR THE INITIAL REVIEW AND 18 DAYS TO ISSUE THE PERMIT, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS BUILDING SAFETY ACTUALLY HAS IT FOR ABOUT ONE DAY AND THE REST OF THE TIME WE'RE WAITING ON THE CONTRACTOR OR THE ARCHITECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO RESPOND TO OUR QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER THEY'VE SUBMITTED.
OUR DEPARTMENT GOAL IS FIVE DAYS IN 20 DAYS ON THE TURNAROUND.
I'VE ALSO CHECKED WITHOUT OTHER CITIES ON RESIDENTIAL, THERE ARE ABOUT 7 TO 10 DAYS IS THE AVERAGE.
THERE'S SOME A LITTLE BIT FASTER AND SOME A LITTLE BIT SLOWER ON COMMERCIAL.
THERE ARE ABOUT 10 TO 21 BUSINESS DAYS, SO WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD.
WE HAVE OUR WEEKLY REPORTS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
WE HAVE OUR BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING.
WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY YEAR TO DATE AND OUR PERMIT STATISTICS, AND WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK.
WE HAVE A NON LOCAL ROOFING COMPANY.
THEY SAID THEY WANT TO LET SUPERVISORY STAFF KNOW THAT EVERY PERSON HE HAS TALKED TO FROM OUR OFFICE PROVIDED TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE, FROM APARTMENT TECHNICIANS TO THE INSPECTORS. ALL WERE FRIENDLY, HELPFUL.
THEY ARE THE BEST I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH AND WILL, AND WE DO WORK WITH ALL OVER TEXAS.
WE HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER THAT SAYS IT'S STRESSFUL TO START UP A SMALL BUSINESS AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP US ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS. CONNIE BUTLER HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR HER.
SHE ANSWERED ALL OUR QUESTIONS AND WE WERE ABLE TO TELL.
SHE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP US OUT.
[00:50:03]
WE CAN'T THANK HER ENOUGH FOR ANSWERING OUR CALLS AND EMAILS AS RAPIDLY AS SHE DOES.WE KNOW ANOTHER SMALL BUSINESS STARTING UP AND I TOLD THEM TO MAKE SURE TO ASK FOR CONNIE.
A LOCAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY SAID.
ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO GO THE EXTRA MILE AND ASSIST US.
THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SAID JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HELPING US LAST WEEK.
[INAUDIBLE], YOU GUYS WITH TONS OF QUESTIONS AND WANTS.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET'S LET THE MAYOR PRO TEM START WITH HER QUESTIONS.
SO FREDA WE'LL PASS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS FIRST TO YOU.
OKAY, THANK YOU. SO IN REGARDS TO THE SOFTWARE, IS THIS GOING TO REPLACE THE TYLER INTERGOV SOFTWARE? YES, IT'S GOING TO REPLACE TYLER.
AND WE STILL HAVE OUR OLD SOFTWARE FROM BEFORE TYLER, WHICH IS CALLED HANSON.
SO IT'S GOING TO REPLACE BOTH OF THEM, BOTH OF THOSE SOFTWARES.
OKAY, AND HOW SOON? SO I SEE THE COMMENTS IN HERE THAT YOU JUST READ, BUT HOW SOON WILL THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS? ON THE SOFTWARE? ON THE SOFTWARE, JUST ON SERVICE, PERIOD? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE COMPLAINT IS, IS THAT WE'RE NOT FRIENDLY TO DO BUSINESS WITH.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES SO LONG TO GET A PERMIT.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE TO TURN AROUND THE PLANS.
I THINK MOST OF THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE PAST YEAR.
WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN MOST OF THAT SOLVED.
IF YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS LATELY, I JUST NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.
YES. OKAY, AND SO IN REGARDS TO THE SOFTWARE, IS THAT THE INITIAL STARTING POINT WHERE SOMEBODY GOES TO TRY TO GET A PERMIT OR TRY TO GET THEIR PLANS APPROVED? CORRECT. OKAY, YES.
ALL RIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ON THE NEW SOFTWARE FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS, AND THEN EVERYTHING IN OUR OLD SOFTWARE IS GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE NEW SOFTWARE THAT GIVES BOTH US AND THE CUSTOMERS AND CONTRACTORS THAT ARE USING IT SOME TIME TO GET USED TO IT.
SO WHEN IT MERGES, IT MAY NOT MERGE PERFECTLY, BUT EVERYONE WILL KNOW HOW TO WORK IT.
OKAY, AND THEN LET'S SEE HERE.
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, AS FAR AS UPDATES? UPDATES ON WHAT WE'RE DOING OR JUST MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY? JUST MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, PROVIDING THEM UPDATES ON WHERE YOU KNOW, WHERE THEIR ITEMS STANDS.
OR YOU SAID IN HERE--FOR THE PLAN REVIEW.
SO HOW OFTEN ARE YOU DOING THOSE MEETINGS? WE WAIT A FEW AFTER WE SEND OUT OUR COMMENTS.
IT NORMALLY TAKES THE COMMUNITY A FEW WEEKS TO GET BACK WITH US, AND IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM THEM, WE REACH OUT TO THEM EVERY MONTH TO SEE ABOUT THE PROJECTS, WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT WE CAN DO IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED AN INSPECTION, BUT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
ALSO, WE ALSO MEET WE GET PHONE CALLS ALL THE TIME ABOUT ISSUES.
A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A MISCONFUSION, MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR AND THE OWNER AND US.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.
NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, AND SOMETIMES JUST EXPLAINING WHERE THEY ARE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] IN THEIR PROCESS HELPS THEM , AND THEN THE CROSS TRAINING FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES NOW CROSS TRAINED OR IS THAT STILL IN PROGRESS? THE LAST ONE THAT--WE GOT TWO CROSS TRAINED.
ONE OF THEM LEFT TO TAKE ANOTHER JOB OPPORTUNITY.
WE HIRE EACH INSPECTOR SPECIALIZED IN THEIR TRADE, AND NORMALLY IT TAKES A NUMBER OF YEARS.
MOST LICENSES TAKE ABOUT FOUR YEARS.
IT TOOK US A COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THAT DONE AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT ALL THE TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THIS END OF THE TABLE?
[00:55:03]
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.I'M GOING TO JUST MAKE A COMMENT.
SAUER IT'S DIRECTLY TO YOU, JOHNNY.
SO I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY HOUSE AT ONE POINT IN TIME, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU STEPPED IN AND CLEANED IT UP AND THEY THOUGHT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE CLEANED UP VERY EASILY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, KUDOS TO YOU.
YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLY GREAT JOB, AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT.
SO I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU. MR. STANLEY. YES, MAYOR, THANK YOU.
SO I GET THE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE OF BEING DOWN IN BUILDING SAFETY.
SO, UM, IF I COULD ONLY COMMUNICATE TO MY BUILDING COMMUNITY WHAT I GET TO SEE YOU DO.
SO LIKE, I COULDN'T BE MORE DISAPPOINTED IN SOME OF THE SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THERE, BUT MORE IMPRESSED WITH HOW YOU'VE GONE BACK AND FIXED IT AND FIXED IT AND COMMUNICATE IT AND CALLED AND I SEND PEOPLE TO YOU BECAUSE I'M AN EASY COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT.
YOU'VE HAD THIS ROLLED OUT TILL MONDAY.
I KIND OF PREPARED FOR THIS WEEK.
I THOUGHT, GREAT NEW SOFTWARE COMING OUT.
I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, JUST ON SOME THINGS THAT YOU AND I WERE GOING TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT AND SO NOW'S A GREAT TIME FOR US TO COMMUNICATE, AND IF THEY'RE CAPABLE, GREAT, AND IF NOT, THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THEM.
A LOT OF IT IS THE AUTOMATED CAPABILITIES OF OUR SOFTWARE.
SO OUR BUILDERS SPEND A LOT OF TIME HAVING TO SIT ON A JOB SITE OR WAIT, YOU KNOW, WHEREAS IF WE KNEW WHERE YOUR INSPECTORS WERE OR WE GOT THAT TEXT MESSAGE SAYING, HEY, YOUR INSPECTION IS 15 MINUTES AWAY, WE COULD LEAVE ANOTHER JOB SITE AND RUN OVER AND MEET YOU OR GIVE YOU ACCESS.
SO HOW IS THIS NEW SOFTWARE GOING TO WORK AS FAR AS AUTOMATED UPDATES? LET ME GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
LET US GET THIS STARTED TO WHERE WE CAN SEE WHAT IT DOES, BUT WHAT I'M TOLD IS IT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN SEND TEXT, WHERE OUR INSPECTORS CAN SAY, HEY, PUSH A BUTTON AND YOU GET NOTIFIED.
OKAY, WELL, I'M HOPEFUL FOR THAT, NOT JUST FOR MY BUILDERS, BUT THEN ALSO FOR OUR INSPECTORS.
JUST BECAUSE IT HELPS YOUR STAFF SO MUCH WHERE YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO TRY TO GET ME ON THE PHONE WHEN I'M IN A MEETING OR NO RESPONSE, AND SO YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, AND SO STREAMLINING THOSE SERVICES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL RED LINE CAPABILITIES OR ANYTHING AS FAR AS US FEEDING YOU DOCUMENTS THAT'S CHANGING ON THIS? OR IS IT JUST THE SAME PROCESS WE'VE DONE AS FAR AS UPLOADING IT TO THE WEBSITE? IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME PROCESS.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, AND THEN HOW ABOUT PAYING FEES? ARE WE STILL, IS THE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE THE SAME OR DID IT TURN OVER WITH MYGOV AS WELL? IT'S NEW SOFTWARE WITH MYGOV, BUT IT'S GOING TO WORK THE SAME AS THE CURRENT SOFTWARE.
OKAY, WELL, SO I KNOW IT GOT BETTER.
YOU HAD TO GO TO YOUR OFFICE TO GET IT TO ACCEPT OR REMEMBER YOU.
YEAH, THIS ONE ALL WORKS OFF THE CELL PHONE REAL EASILY.
I FEEL LIKE IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A BIG PROBLEM AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS, SO I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING YET, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A ROUGH GO, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE STARTED DAY ONE AND SO I FEEL GOOD SO FAR, AND THEN, MAN, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING, JOHNNY, FROM USERS LIKE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS? HEY, I HATE THIS. HEY, WE DIDN'T SEE THIS COMING.
WISH YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD US BETTER.
WE'VE HAD TWO COMPLICATIONS WITH THE STAFF ON SITE FROM MGO.
THEY'VE GOT BOTH OF THOSE FIXED QUICKLY.
SO NO ONE SAID ANYTHING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE YET THAT I'VE HEARD.
SO EVERYTHING'S GOING SMOOTHLY.
SO I FIGURE THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.
OKAY, HOW HAVE YOU SET UP FOR USERS OF THE SYSTEM TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK OR FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE DEPARTMENT TO PROACTIVELY COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM THEM? WELL, NORMALLY WE GET PHONE CALLS AND THAT'S HOW MOST OF OUR FEEDBACK IS RECEIVED TO US OR EMAILS.
[01:00:06]
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS ABOUT THE NEW SOFTWARE YET.WITH THIS NEW COMPANY, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PHONE NUMBER AS WELL FOR PEOPLE TO CALL WITH SOFTWARE ISSUES, TO HAVE THOSE ADDRESSED WITHOUT TROUBLING MAYBE BUILDING SAFETY STAFF THAT'S NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE SOFTWARE, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE TRANSLATORS LIKE FOR SPANISH, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CALL AND TALK TO ONE OF THEIR OPERATORS, IT REALLY MAKES IT A SMOOTHER PROCESS FOR SOME OF THOSE USER ERRORS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
OKAY. SO IT'S NOT TAKING UP A LOT OF BUILDING SAFETY STAFF TIME TO DO SOFTWARE TROUBLESHOOTING.
JUST MORE A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT WHAT SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES HAVE YOU GUYS IMPLEMENTED TO YOU DID A GOOD JOB GOING THROUGH, HEY, THESE ARE OUR GOALS FOR PLANNED TURNAROUND, FOR PERMIT ISSUANCE, BUT NOW JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PROCEDURES YOU'VE PUT AROUND THOSE GOALS SO THAT YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE MEETING THEM AND IF YOU'RE NOT MEETING THEM SO THAT YOU CAN DIAGNOSE WHY YOU'RE NOT MEETING THEM AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
I KNOW THAT'S SORT OF A THICK QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BEAR.
IT'S GREAT TO SET GOALS, AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE FIRST TIME, AT LEAST THAT I'VE HEARD THAT FROM THIS DEPARTMENT, BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE STAYING ON TRACK? WHEN THIS ALL STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO, WE STARTED SOME NEW SPREADSHEETS TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING, AND IT ALLOWS US TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS.
WHERE WE ARE, WHERE OTHERS ARE, AND WE HAVE TWO OF THOSE, ONE FOR RESIDENTIAL, ONE FOR COMMERCIAL.
WITH THIS NEW SOFTWARE, IT'S GOING TO HELP EVEN MORE BECAUSE EACH ADDRESS IS GOING TO SHOW EVERYTHING WHERE THE PLAN REVIEW IS, WHERE THE INSPECTIONS ARE, WHAT STAGE THE INSPECTION IS. SO WITH THIS NEW MGO, WE HAVE TOOLS THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE.
SO I SEE THAT'S GOING TO HELP TREMENDOUSLY IN KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYTHING AND KEEPING US ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, AND IT WILL RUN INTERNAL REPORTS SO THAT YOU CAN HIT A BUTTON AND SAY, WHERE ARE WE FOR THE MONTH ON THESE TARGETS OR.
SO I CAN SEE IF THE PREVIOUS WEEK WE'RE BUMPING UP TO 15 INSTEAD OF TEN, AND SO WE CAN ADDRESS IT ON THE SPOT AS FAR AS SOMEBODY'S BEEN OUT OF THE OFFICE, IF WE'VE BEEN HIT WITH 100 RESIDENTIAL PLANS INSTEAD OF 50, WHAT'S CAUSING IT VERSUS WHEN? THIS INITIALLY STARTED, IT WAS IT WAS JUST BUILDING UP WITHOUT ANY INDICATORS TRIGGERING.
WE'VE GOT AN ISSUE WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO THAT'S BEEN VERY PROACTIVE, JUST GETTING THOSE WEEKLY REPORTS JUST SO I CAN MONITOR THINGS.
JOHNNY'S MONITORING SO WE'VE GOT MORE EYES ON IT.
CAN I JUST ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRIOR SOFTWARE? IF IT DIDN'T PAN OUT, HOW DID WE USE THAT EXPERIENCE TO FAIL FORWARD AND DO THIS NEXT ROUND BETTER? LIKE, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU LEARNED FROM ROLLING OUT THAT SOFTWARE RECOGNIZING THAT DID NOT WORK THAT YOU'VE TAKEN AND YOU'RE DOING THE MGO CONNECT ROLLOUT DIFFERENTLY? THE PREVIOUS SOFTWARE WAS A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION.
THEY KNOW ALL OUR ISSUES ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER CITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
THE PRIVATE COMPANY WAS JUST THERE TO MAKE MONEY.
WE HAVE STUFF FROM APRIL OF YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
I GUESS IT'S TWO YEARS NOW THAT STILL DOESN'T WORK THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK WHEN WE WENT LIVE.
SO I JUST SEE US GETTING BETTER, ANDREW, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT AS FAR AS PROCEDURALLY WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED AND WHAT CAN OTHER DEPARTMENTS LEARN IN THE SOFTWARE SELECTION PROCESS FROM THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS HAD TO TURN AROUND AND DO IT TWICE IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME? YEAH, THE WAY THIS ONE ENDED UP BEING A LITTLE BIT BETTER IS JUST THE WAY THIS ORGANIZATION GOES ABOUT AS FAR AS CUSTOMIZING IT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION, TAKING THE TIME.
EVERY FRIDAY MORNING WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM AS FAR AS THROUGH THE PROCESS, THROUGH THE TRANSITION, WHAT CAN WE CHANGE? AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THEN THE IN-PERSON TRAINING.
SO IT WAS REALLY JUST THEIR APPROACH THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN OUR PREVIOUS ONE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH HANDS ON TRAINING OR ASSISTANCE WHEN THERE WAS AN ISSUE.
[01:05:05]
SO THIS GROUP, IF YOU SEND THEM AN ISSUE, THEY CAN TURN IT AROUND IN DAYS INSTEAD OF MONTHS OR WEEKS.ALSO MYSELF, I USE IT IN ANOTHER CITY, SO I WAS FAMILIAR WITH ITS BACKGROUND.
WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS ONE FOR OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES, PLANNING, FIRE MARSHAL, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, ALL SEEING THE BENEFITS OF WHAT BUILDING SAFETY HAS GONE THROUGH HAS TESTED OUT THE SYSTEM AND LEARNED MORE ABOUT ITS FEATURES AND JUST REALLY SEES THE BENEFIT ON THE APPROACH, AND LUCKILY IT'S ALSO A LOT MORE COST EFFECTIVE COMPARED TO OUR PREVIOUS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO COVER ALL THOSE MODULES FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE, IF NOT A LITTLE LESS FROM WHAT INTERGOV WAS COSTING, JUST BUILDING SAFETY.
DO WE PAY THEIR CITY TO USE THIS PROJECT? SO IT'S MORE OF A IT'S LIKE PRPC.
IT'S MORE OF A COG, COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, IN LOUISIANA.
THEY DO AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT WE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL AND SETS THE FEE STRUCTURE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PERMITS, BUT IT'S VERY REASONABLY PRICED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO MAKE A PROFIT.
THEY'RE JUST LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR SOFTWARE.
THEIR POSSIBILITY [INAUDIBLE].
RIGHT. OKAY, JARED DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN POINT TO AS LESSONS LEARNED.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH JUST WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
EVOLUTIONARY POSITION OF THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
THE TYLER SELECTION WAS A PROCESS THAT HAPPENED MAYBE 8 OR 7 YEARS AGO.
IMPLEMENTATION HAPPENED A LITTLE OVER SIX YEARS AGO, AND THE THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS LET'S SPEND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY POSSIBLE TO BRING IN A SOFTWARE PACKAGE THAT WILL MANAGE THE MOST NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS POSSIBLE, AND IN CONCEPT, THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY, BUT YOU'VE GOT ONE COMPANY PROVIDING A SOFTWARE SOLUTION FOR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'RE NOT AN EXPERT IN ANY OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS EXCEPT FOR POSSIBLY ONE.
THAT'S HOW THEY GOT INTO THE FIELD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO THERE'S AN INHERENT CHALLENGE.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS THAT AT THE TIME, CITY OF AMARILLO WAS THE LARGEST CITY IN TYLER'S PORTFOLIO, SO THEY'D NEVER SERVICED--WE WERE MORE THAN TWICE THE SIZE OF THEIR LARGEST CITY AT THE TIME. SO NOW THAT'S NOT NOT THE CASE, BUT THEY DIDN'T WE WERE A TEST BED FOR THEM.
SO AGAIN, THAT WAS ANOTHER INHERENT CHALLENGE THERE, ANDREW MENTIONED THAT WE HAD USED THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE, THAT HE HAD USED IT, THIS SOFTWARE PACKAGE IN PREVIOUS CITY , AND THAT WAS MY PREVIOUS CITY AS WELL, AND IT WORKED GREAT, BUT YOU DON'T LEARN THOSE LESSONS BY YOURSELF, AND IN MANY CASES, THE CITY OF AMARILLO FUNCTIONS MANY TIMES AS AN ISLAND BECAUSE WE ARE THE BIGGEST CITY IN A LARGE RADIUS, AND UNLESS WE'RE ACTIVELY SEEKING THOSE SOLUTIONS FROM OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE WALKED THIS PATH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET IT.
ONE OF THE LESSONS IS WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR THE BEST PRACTICE AND, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING BEST VALUE BIDDING, BEST VALUE PROCESS EVALUATIONS WHERE WE CAN AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT IS LEAST LEAST EXPENSIVE ON THE FRONT END IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN THE MID AND LONG TERM.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT, WHERE WE SAVED MONEY IN THE SHORT TERM BUT ACTUALLY CREATED MORE CHALLENGES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR DEVELOPERS, AND SPENT MORE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO FIX IT BY GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT THAT GOING FORWARD IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL IS GOING TO WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AS WE DISCUSS BEST VALUE BIDDING, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CHEAPEST THING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT THING, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THIS IS GOING TO WORK OUT VERY WELL FOR THE CITY.
WE'VE SEEN IT IN MANY OTHER CITIES, SOME BIGGER THAN US.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE IMPLEMENT IT AND HOW WE KEEP FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS.
I APPRECIATE THAT ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP ROLES WILL CONTINUE TO REMIND US AS COUNCIL, HEY, IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE FOR US TO HAVE A LONG TERM VIEW ON THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR SYSTEMS AND OUR TOOLS LIKE MR .
IF WE'RE NOT UPDATING THOSE TOOLS WITH A LONG TERM VIEW, THEN ESSENTIALLY IT'S COST.
WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE PAY FOR AND IT'S COSTING TAXPAYERS BOTH IN ACTUAL TAX DOLLARS TO RESCOPE AND RETOOL QUICKER THAN WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO, BUT IT'S ALSO COSTING US ECONOMICALLY, OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE DEPENDING ON US TO PROVIDE THEM A SERVICE SO THAT THEIR BUSINESSES CAN GROW AND BE PROFITABLE.
SO WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU GUYS TO REMIND US, HEY, THIS IS LIKE THAT SOFTWARE SITUATION.
[01:10:01]
FINAL QUESTION: HOW ARE WE COMPARING? I KNOW WE STRUGGLE TO KEEP OUR INSPECTORS.WE LOSE THEM TO PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
ARE WE STILL WAY BEHIND IN--I KNOW WE'VE GIVEN SOME RAISES, BUT, HOW COMPETITIVE ARE WE? WELL, WITH COVID HAPPENING, THINGS HAPPENED THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
SO THE COMPANIES THAT HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE GOOD HAD TO PAY WAY MORE THAN THEY HAVE EVER PAID BEFORE.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO DO IT NOW WHERE IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT BEFORE, BUT THERE'S STILL THAT COVID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EVEN CALL IT, BUT [INAUDIBLE]? SO THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE, GOOD PEOPLE.
THE COMPANIES ARE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP THEM.
WELL, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS DON'T COME TO COUNCIL AND SAY, OH, GOSH, OUR DEPARTMENT'S ON FIRE.
SO DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE IN A JAM, AND IF PAYING THEM MEANS WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN ORDER TO BE COMPETITIVE, WE SOON KNOWING THAT SOONER HERE IS BETTER FOR US.
SO THAT'S JUST ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON MAKING SURE WE STAY IN FRONT OF TRYING TO GET THOSE POSITIONS COMPETITIVELY PAID SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM FILLED WITH QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
SINCE THE SOFTWARE IS BEING CUSTOMIZED TO OUR NEEDS AND OUR REQUIREMENTS GOING FORWARD, ARE WE GOING TO BE IS THE SOFTWARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE UPDATED AND KEPT CURRENT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START SAYING WE'RE GOING TO CUSTOMIZE THAT, THAT'S A RED FLAG FOR ME.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE.
IT'S NO ADDITIONAL FEES TO MAKE CHANGES.
YOU SEND IN A REQUEST EITHER FOR A REPORT OR A TWEAK HERE AND THERE.
THEY TURN AROUND VERY QUICKLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, IF NOT LESS, DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE, BUT THEY DON'T NICKEL AND DIME US FOR EVERY CHANGE, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE ENHANCEMENTS.
THEY'LL TAKE SUGGESTIONS FROM US, LIKE WITH THE TEXT FOR INSPECTORS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO CHECK AND SEE IF THE WAY THEY HAVE IT SET UP WILL WORK FOR US.
IF NOT, THEY'LL WORK WITH US TO IMPROVE IT.
OKAY, AND LAST FOR ME, WHAT IS YOUR TARGET GOAL EVERY WEEK OF GETTING PERMITS ISSUED? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S BEEN SLOW.
SO WHAT IS THE GOAL EVERY WEEK? I MEAN, IS IT TO GET ALL OF THEM OUT THAT WEEK OR DO YOU HAVE A CERTAIN TARGET THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH? WE GET ALL OF THEM OUT THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR, THAT WE HAVE.
SO WHEN WE GET A PERMIT IN, WE DO THE PLAN REVIEW ON IT.
IF IT'S ALL CORRECT, WE ISSUE THE PERMIT IMMEDIATELY.
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF OUR ISSUES ARE IS THE DESIGNER.
SO ON OUR PLAN REVIEWS, OUR MASTER PLANS, WE GET OUT IN ABOUT THREE DAYS.
RIGHT NOW, ALL OUR RESIDENTIAL IS ABOUT NINE DAYS AND OUR COMMERCIAL IS JUST A LITTLE OVER A DAY ON THE TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN OUR HANDS.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, JOHNNY. THIS IS MY REPORT THAT I ACTUALLY GOT JANUARY 26TH, 2021.
SO I CAN TELL THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK, YOU KNOW, PUT INTO BUILDING SAFETY.
I MEAN, I COULD NOT SEE THAT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE DAY TO DAY PROCESS BUT JUST FROM WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT TODAY, I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT PROCESS, A LOT OF WORK DONE TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, RESOLVE SOME OF THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING.
SO THANK YOU; I APPRECIATE THAT.
YEAH, AND ALL THE STAFF KNOWS THAT WE ARE HERE TO BE A PARTNER WITH ALL THE CONTRACTORS.
WE'RE NOT AN ENFORCEMENT LIKE WHAT IT USED TO BE IN THE PAST, AND THAT'S DONE A LOT ON ITS OWN.
YEAH, AND THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TOO.
THANKS. OKAY, ITEM 1D IS TO DISCUSS THE FIVE YEAR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
[1.D. Discuss Five-Year Community Improvement Plan;]
MR. CITY MANAGER.ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CIP PROCESS.
DIRECTOR OF OUR CIP PROCESS, KYLE SCNEIDERJAN.
HE'S GOING TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM RELATIVELY BRIEFLY, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DIVE AS DEEP AS COUNCIL WANTS ON QUESTIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AS PREPARED AS WE CAN POSSIBLY HELP YOU BE AS WE GO INTO THIS YEAR'S PROCESS.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
[01:15:03]
WE ARE BACK AGAIN FOR CIP AND IN PREPARATION THEN EVEN FURTHER, LOOKING OUT AT PREPARATION FOR NEXT THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE. THIS IS KIND OF THE ANNUAL.THERE WE GO. PERFECT. OUR ANNUAL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM PRESENTATION WHERE WE BRING BACK TO YOU GUYS BASICALLY A FIVE YEAR PLANNING DOCUMENT OR FIVE YEAR GUIDANCE DOCUMENT.
SO I HOPE THAT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO YOU.
MAYOR YOU ALWAYS COMMENTED ON MY TATTERED FOLDER AND I USE THAT THING.
THIS IS A FIVE YEAR GUIDANCE DOCUMENT.
IT BASICALLY HELPS US BUILD AND UTILIZE A DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT'S STEPPED THROUGH.
WE DO BUILD THIS THIS DOCUMENT ON THE PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET OF OUR LAST CIP, AS WELL AS THE MASTER PLANNING DOCUMENTS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CITY.
I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME AD NAUSEAM, MAYBE COMPLIMENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INITIATIVES OF OUR PLANNING GROUP AND THOSE PLANS BEING AN INTEGRAL PART AND JUST A REALLY, REALLY USEFUL TOOL FOR US DEPARTMENTS TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH CITIZENRY, AND SO ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF DOCUMENTS ARE INTEGRATED BY THE DEPARTMENTS INTO OUR CIP PROGRAM YEAR ONE OBVIOUSLY OF THAT FIVE YEAR PLAN IS FISCALLY CONSTRAINED BY THE BUDGET.
THEY ARE BASICALLY DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED NEXT PRIORITIES.
THEY ARE FISCALLY CONSTRAINED BY SOME GENERAL BEST PRACTICES IN ACCOUNTING.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT JUST OUT THERE SHOOTING FOR THE MOON IN THAT YEAR TWO THROUGH FIVE.
WE DO HAVE SOME BOUNDARIES BASED ON YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE, AND THEN THIS DOCUMENT SPECIFICALLY MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST BASED ON SPECIFIC COMMENTS FROM AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YOU DURING LAST YEAR'S PROCESS WAS TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THOSE FUTURE PROJECTS, LET THE DEPARTMENTS ASK FOR THOSE NEEDS THAT ARE UN, THAT ARE THAT DON'T HAVE A PHYSICAL CONSTRAINT.
BASICALLY A GOOD NEEDS LOOK OUT IN PAST THAT YEAR TWO THROUGH FIVE THOSE FUTURE PROJECTS THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE IDENTIFYING THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A DEFINED FUNDING SOURCE FOR RIGHT NOW, AND SO I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THIS YEAR'S REPORT, AND THE DIRECTION WE GAVE TO THE DEPARTMENTS WAS TO TAKE A PROACTIVE FORECASTING LOOK OUT INTO ABOUT A 20 YEAR WINDOW.
ACROSS THE BOARD, THE DEPARTMENT TURNED IN OVER $1.76 BILLION OF IDENTIFIED FUTURE PROJECTS OUT THERE THAT CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE AN IDENTIFIED FUNDING SOURCE AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I THINK YOU'LL LIKE THAT I GOT BACK FROM SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS TOO WAS THAT LIST THEN BECOMES A CLEARINGHOUSE SPECIFICALLY FOR TO COMBAT SOME OF THE LOSSES WE HAVE IN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
WE'VE MENTIONED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES EVEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS ABOUT STAFF TURNOVER AND THINGS MOVING AROUND, AND SO DEVELOPING THAT LIST OUT THERE OF OF NEEDS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO COMBAT LOSING A STAFF MEMBER WHO HAD THAT, WHO KNEW ABOUT THAT PROJECT, KNEW ABOUT THAT FUTURE THING THAT WASN'T BEING ADDRESSED AND JUST PUTTING IT DOWN, PUTTING IT IN A BOOK, HAVING IT WHERE THE NEXT GUY CAN READ IT AND ADDRESS IT MOVING FORWARD.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL SEE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE REPORT AND UTILIZE THAT.
WE THINK IT IS A PRETTY ACCURATE REFLECTION OF THOSE FUTURE NEEDS.
SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO BASICALLY, YOU HAVE THE DRAFT REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU.
IT ACTUALLY IS--I'M GOING TO SKIP AHEAD, ACTUALLY-- IT IS ACTUALLY POSTED AS WELL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THE CITY'S WEB PAGE ON OUR FINANCE WEB PAGE, BASICALLY CITY OF AMARILLO, AND THEN GO TO DEPARTMENTS.
[01:20:09]
DOWN AT THE BOTTOM THERE WITH THOSE CIPS AND IT'LL HAVE THE WORD DRAFT ON IT UNTIL IT GOES THROUGH OUR CONVERSATION TIME AND APPROVAL BY COUNCIL AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WE'LL HAVE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONVERSATIONS, LOOKING FORWARD TO CRITIQUES, QUESTIONS ABOUT ABOUT THE PROGRAM, WHAT OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE.
WE'RE CAPABLE TO RUN THOSE QUESTIONS ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DEPARTMENTS IF NEEDED TO AND WHAT THEIR VISIONS OF AN INDEPENDENT PROJECT MIGHT BE, OR EVEN DOWN TO THOSE KINDS OF DETAILS, BUT ALSO A FORECASTING LOOK.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT GEARING UP TO MOVE RIGHT INTO THE BUDGETING SEASON AND WHAT OUR PREVIOUS YEARS' BUDGETS HAVE BEEN, WHAT THAT CAPITAL KIND OF AVAILABILITY HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND THEN WE'RE KIND OF FORECASTING WHAT WE SEE AS MAYBE A RETURN BACK TO TO SOME NORMALCY IN THAT CAPITAL ARENA, WHICH ACTUALLY MAY EVEN BE A REDUCTION IN SOME CAPITAL AVAILABILITY.
SO THE NEXT STEPS ARE IS THAT WE WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL WITH A FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT ADOPTS THIS PLANNING DOCUMENT ON MARCH 28TH.
SO WE HAVE SOME TIME IN HERE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKE CHANGES, MAKE REVISIONS.
WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE TO THE PUBLIC AT THAT TIME AS WELL IF WE HAVE THEM, THEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SECOND READING ON APRIL 11TH.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AND EVEN BIDDING AND BUILDING AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE 22-23, WHICH IS YEAR ONE OF THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN WHICH WAS APPROVED IN THE IN THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE KICKOFF FOR THE DEPARTMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR'S LIST GENERATING AND STARTING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER AT THIS TIME? QUESTIONS? SO, KYLE, $1.76 BILLION OF POTENTIAL PROJECTS SUBMITTED, MANY OF WHICH ARE OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO CORRECT ME ON THAT. I'M GOING TO ONLY SAY THAT'S THOSE FUTURE PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE FIVE YEAR WINDOW.
THE TOTAL VALUE OF OUR FIVE YEAR--I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT, MAYOR, I APOLOGIZE.
YES, MA'AM. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THAT POINT IS THAT WE HAVE THAT FIVE YEARS IDENTIFIED, BUT THE 1.76 BILLION ARE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS, NOT CURRENTLY IN OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND I MEAN THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS WHAT WE HAVE WORKING ON.
WE'RE UNDER THE AVALANCHE OF OUR NEEDS CONTINUE TO GROW WHILE WE CONTINUE TO NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING THAT THOSE, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS GENERATE AS FAR AS THEIR THEIR LARGE PROJECTS, THE PRICE TAGS ON THEM HAVE A LOT OF ZEROS.
PLANNING FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS.
LOTS OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT DURING THAT PROCESS.
WE'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS IN OUR CITY PLAN THAT'S KICKED OFF RIGHT NOW.
I HOSTED A PART OF THAT, HAD A BOOTH, I GUESS AT THE LAST COUPLE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS WHERE I'M TELLING THAT STORY AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC ON THE WAYS THEY WHAT THEY SEE FOR SOLUTIONS, WHAT THEY PREFER AS PRIORITIES OF MY GENERAL SPEECH AT THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WAS THAT AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE IS CONCERNED, WE'VE GOT TO OPERATE IT, WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN IT AND WE'VE GOT TO GROW IT, AND IN ANY GIVEN YEAR WE CAN, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, BASED ON OUR CURRENT BUDGET, WE CAN PAY FOR ONE TO SOMETIMES TWO OF THE THREE, AND THOSE THINGS COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND THEY ARE VERY, VERY TOUGH DECISIONS TO PICK BETWEEN THOSE THREE THINGS.
HOW DO YOU PICK LIKE THE THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN, WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR WHAT GETS PICKED AND WHAT GETS PUT ON THE PLAN? SURE. SO WE'VE COME UP WITH A PRIORITIZATION METHOD.
[01:25:07]
BASICALLY, WE ASK THE DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT PROJECTS IN YEARS ONE THROUGH FIVE, AND WE DO GIVE THEM A LITTLE.I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CALL IT BOUNDARIES, BUT MAYBE LIKE BUMPERS FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS IN THE YEARS, ONE THROUGH FIVE, AND THEN WE START A PROCESS OF PRIORITIZATION THAT INCLUDES PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR IS ONE PRIORITY METHOD LIKE SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE ARE MECHANISMS THAT WE CAN COORDINATE WITH OTHER EXTERNAL FUNDING THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOME OF THE ARPA FUNDING THAT JUST WENT THROUGH AND BECAME AVAILABLE TO US VERY RAPIDLY.
WE ALSO ASK THEM TO TO MANAGE WHAT KIND OF DEPARTMENT CAPITAL, THEY'RE GENERAL O&M KIND OF ACCOUNTS AND DEPARTMENTS THAT WE CALL THEM EXPANSIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS OR THE E&I ACCOUNTS WHERE YOU KNOW THESE ARE THIS IS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THAT THEY THAT THEY ROUTINELY DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS OR REPETITIVELY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE MAYBE THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT THAT MIGHT BE CARPET REPLACEMENT OR MAYBE A ROOF REPLACEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IN UTILITIES, IT REALLY IS THE EXTENSION OF LINES TO MEET DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.
OUR ORDINANCE SAYS THE CITY WILL BUILD THE FIRST 100FT FOR A PREVIOUSLY PLATTED LOT THAT'S UNSERVED INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, AND SO THE EXTENSION OF THAT LINE, WE ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE THAT WITH THOSE E&I DEPARTMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND SO THOSE TAKE PRIORITY.
THEY ARE LITERALLY OPERATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS AND OPERATION DOLLARS FOR THE DEPARTMENTS, AND SO THOSE ARE PRIORITIZED VERY, VERY HIGHLY, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN A MYRIAD OF STEPS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT, BASED ON THOSE PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, BASED ON COMMITMENTS THAT WE MAY HAVE CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS TO AISD FOR LIAISON OFFICERS OR AND THERE ARE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH A CAR AND WHATEVER THAT IS, BUT WE HAVE A CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, AND SO THAT TAKES A HIGH PRIORITY.
REGULATORY COMMITMENTS, WE'RE HAVING SOME STRUGGLES IN OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES AND THOSE ARE STRUGGLES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILDING FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WE HAVE REGULATORY OR SORRY, WE HAVE REGULATORY ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS AND ARE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS, AND SO THOSE TAKE PRIORITY THAT LIST JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST CHECKS OFF EACH BOX, AND [INAUDIBLE] IT'S REALLY HELPFUL, THOUGH, FOR US COUNCIL BUT ALSO FOR CITIZENS TO HEAR YOU VERBALIZE.
HERE'S THE THINGS ME, FLOYD, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS WE'RE ALL EXPERTS IN ALL THESE THINGS AND SOME OF IT IS FUNDING THINGS.
YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING? LOOKING AT THIS BAR CHART, I NOTICED THAT THE GREEN BAR IS ONE THAT WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN FROM THE COUNCIL'S POINT OF VIEW BECAUSE THAT'S GENERAL FUNDING AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE REALLY A LOT OF CONTROL OVER AND IT IMPACTS THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
GO FORWARD ONE SLIDE, THERE YOU GO, INTO THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
IT'S RELATIVELY THE SAME EVERY YEAR, WHICH GO BACKWARDS.
A SLIDE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
YEAH. SO THIS ONE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF VARIANCE IN THE GREEN BAR.
I ALLUDED TO THAT QUESTION A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THAT SOME OF OUR FUNDING SCENARIOS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN A TYPICAL FUNDING SCENARIO.
SO THAT GREEN BAR IS OUR GENERAL FUND AND THERE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND FOR SOME WILD RIDES IN INCOME AND REVENUE AND ALSO TAXATION ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO COVID AND THE COVID EFFECT, ONE OF THE MAJOR EFFECTS WAS THAT WE SAW OUR OUR STAFF MADE SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS TO HOLD SERVICES AND TO PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED OR WHAT THE UNKNOWN MAY BE A BETTER PRESENTATION
[01:30:09]
OF WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS COMING.SO WE KIND OF HELD SOME OF OUR EXPENDITURE CARDS AND THAT INCLUDES SOME OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
MAYBE WE DIDN'T LET OUT, WE DIDN'T BID OUT A COUPLE OF PROJECTS.
WE KIND OF HELD OUR CARDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, AND UNEXPECTEDLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN IS THAT SALES TAX REVENUES INCREASED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
WE SAW, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER EFFECT THAT WAS, I'VE NEVER REALLY ATTRIBUTED IT TO A LOT.
THERE'S PROBABLY SOME EXPERTS, INCLUDING ANDREW, WHO COULD TELL US EXACTLY WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
I WAS JUST EXCITED THAT I GET TO BUILD MORE THINGS BUT THAT REVENUE DID INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND BECAME AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS. LIKEWISE, WE RECEIVED MORE FEDERAL FUNDING.
THERE WAS THE ARPA FUNDING, THERE WAS THOSE ADDED AVAILABILITY TO OUR GENERAL FUND THAT WE COULD JUST CASH FLOW ONE TIME CONSTRUCTION, ONE TIME CAPITAL TYPE PROJECTS, AND AS I DID ALLUDE TO, WE ARE KIND OF FORECASTING THAT THOSE AND THE GREEN BAR GETS A LITTLE MORE UNIFORM AS WE'RE LOOKING OUT THERE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BECAUSE WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT TO LEVEL OFF.
WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT TO GO BACK TO A MORE CONVENTIONAL, MORE CONVENTIONAL STANDARD GENERAL FUNDING OPTION AND WHEN YOU PLUG IN THOSE NUMBERS FOR FUTURE FUTURE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CIP PLAN THAT COMES FROM NOT SO MUCH PROJECTS THAT WE BUDGET, BUT MORE SO WE BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY EXPECTING TO HAVE FUNDS LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND FOR THOSE FUNDS TO GO TO CIP, IS THAT CORRECT? ONE OF THE MAJOR WAYS THAT CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND IS THAT THE FUNDS ROLL OVER.
SO IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, IF THERE ARE ANY, ARE SURPLUSES OR ANY SURPLUSES IN DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS.
SO IF MY STAFF COSTS LESS TO RUN OR IF I LOSE AN EMPLOYEE AND I DON'T PAY THAT EMPLOYEE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, THAT SALARY FROM THE GENERAL FUND ROLLS RIGHT BACK OVER TO THE FUND BALANCE AND WE FUND ONE TIME CAPITAL PROJECTS WITH IT.
I'M TRYING TO SPEND THOSE DOLLARS AND UTILIZE MY FULL BUDGET, BUT IF THERE ARE BUDGET SURPLUSES AND SALARY SAVINGS OR OTHER GENERAL FUND SAVINGS, THEN THOSE ONE TIME DOLLARS ROLL INTO OUR CAPITAL BUDGET AND THAT'S WHAT WE BUILD THOSE PROJECTS FOR.
THAT IS CONVENTIONALLY AROUND 2 TO $2.5 MILLION A YEAR FOR ALL OF THE CAPITAL DEPARTMENTS.
SO THAT WOULD BE EVERY DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS NOT AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE OUR DRAINAGE UTILITY, OUR WATER, WATER AND SEWER UTILITY AND OUR AIRPORT.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
NOW, THERE ARE OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY REVENUES THAT WE HAVE THAT HELP US.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE TAKE HOT TAX AND WE SUPPLEMENT OUR CIVIC CENTER AND SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MONEY STRAIGHT OUT OF HOT TAX, AND THERE ARE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT HELP THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT IN GENERAL, THAT ROLLOVER ONE TIME CAPITAL DOLLARS IS EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT OTHER THAN OUR THREE ENTERPRISE WHICH IS WHY MY EYES IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE GREEN BAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS CHART AND I KNOW THAT'S SORT OF WHERE THE GAME IS.
IT'S NOT A GAME, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE IMPACT IS.
THE JUGGERNAUT IN THAT CONVERSATION IS THE GENERAL FUND AND ITS LACK OF ABILITY TO FUND THAT TO 1.7 MILLION OR $1 BILLION WORTH OF FUTURE NEEDS.
MR. CITY MANAGER, JUST BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE IN OTHER CITIES, THE WAY THAT WE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WE BUDGET SO CONSERVATIVELY THAT WE EXPECT A SURPLUS AND WE USE THAT SURPLUS AS A BACKSTOP ON OUR BUDGET ITEMS SO THAT IF WE MISSED IT, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO BE THERE TO BACKSTOP OUR ANNUAL BUDGET ITEMS BUT THEN THAT'S HOW WE ADDRESS OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
SO IT'S SORT OF A WE WAIT AND SEE WHAT'S LEFT OVER AND WE PUT THAT TOWARD CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IS THAT TYPICAL? IS THAT HOW OTHER CITIES BUDGET FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS?
[01:35:05]
I DON'T KNOW. I'M JUST WANTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.LITTLE FLAT FOOTED. I WILL SAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS LIKE AMARILLO DOES.
I WILL ALSO CAVEAT THAT BY SAYING THE NUMBER OF CITIES THAT I'VE WORKED IN IS NOT PROBABLY AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF CITIES TO SAY THAT'S THE RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO DO IT.
I WILL SAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY TIE, THE NUMBER OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THEY CAN FUND TO A FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S NOT ASSOCIATED WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO ONE IS NOT DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE OTHER.
MOST CITIES WILL HAVE AN INTEREST IN SINKING FUND OR A THEY WILL EVERY CAPITAL PROJECT THEY BUILD AT COMPLETION OF THAT PROJECT, THEY WILL HAVE A RESERVE FUND THAT IS BEING FED TO FUND THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT ASSET.
WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT, AND TO CREATE THAT AT THIS POINT IN OUR PROCESS WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN $1 BILLION OF NEED, IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC TO DO IT.
SO WE ARE IN THE POSITION OF SHORT OF HAVING A VERY INNOVATIVE, AND PRODUCTIVE FUNDING SOURCE TO BE ABLE TO PLAN FORWARD FAR FORWARD THAN FAR FARTHER THAN JUST FIVE YEARS.
MOST CITIES HAVE A 20 YEAR CIP PLAN.
IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN A CHALLENGING SITUATION.
SO WE ARE DOING THE VERY BEST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AVAILABLE, UNDERSTANDING THAT CREATING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN FUNDING THESE KNOWN CAPITAL NEEDS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
[INAUDIBLE] YEAH, NO, I THINK THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] WAY OF PHRASING IT.
YES. MY LAST QUESTION, KYLE, IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HAD SO FAR, ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT A STREET ENTERPRISE FUND? JUST KNOWING THAT WE CAN ONLY REPAIR AS MUCH AS WE CAN REPAIR WITH THE DOLLARS WE HAVE IN THE GREEN BAR AND STREETS ARE IN THAT GREEN BAR CURRENTLY, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION FROM THE PLANNING FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS COMMITTEE ABOUT CREATING AN ENTERPRISE FUND LIKE WE HAVE FOR WASTE WATER LIKE WE HAVE FOR AIRPORT THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CAPITAL NEEDS OF MAINTAINING, REPAIRING AND EXPANDING OUR STREETS.
IS THAT A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THESE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS? SO, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THE STREETS REPETITIVELY AND ROUTINELY, YOU KNOW, COMES UP AS A PRIORITY FROM HE COMMUNITY.
WHEN I ASK PEOPLE ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S GENERALLY MAYBE THE FIRST THING THAT EVEN POPS INTO THEIR MIND, AND SO IN THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE ALWAYS HAVE A STREET CONVERSATION.
THE CONTINUATION OF THE PDP COMMITTEE IS BASICALLY IS FOCUSING ON STREETS.
WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF PDP CONVERSATIONS WAS THAT STREETS IS OUR JUGGERNAUT STREETS IS THE BIG ASK THE BIG GORILLA IN THE ROOM OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY THAT, AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION TO IDENTIFY FUTURE FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR STREETS, AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE CONSIDERING LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
THE ENTERPRISE, THE ENTERPRISE OPTION DOES FALL OUT IN MY MIND VERY QUICKLY AS A VERY GOOD OPTION, BUT THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF WAYS TO ADDRESS STREET FUNDING INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT PARTICIPATION AND/OR TAX INCREASES.
THE THING THAT GENERALLY I HEAR FROM CITIZENRY THAT THEY LIKE ABOUT THE ENTERPRISE FUND OPTION IS THAT ANYTHING COLLECTED FOR STREETS PAYS FOR STREETS.
IT IS EARMARKED, IT IS YOU KNOW, IT IS DEFINED AND CATEGORIZED AND IT CAN ONLY DO THAT THING, AND SO I ROUTINELY HEAR THAT FROM OUR CITIZENRY THAT THEY LIKE THAT OPTION AND THAT THEY LIKE THAT BOX. THEY LIKE TO PUT THE MONEY IN A BOX AND KNOW THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR, AND THEN THEY CAN THEY CAN ESTABLISH THE EXPECTATION OF ARE THEY GETTING WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR. SO WHENEVER YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT ARE OTHER CITIES DOING? WHAT ARE CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICES.
SO IS THAT CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICES WHENEVER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE US THAT HAVE BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ANYTHING NEW? SURE.
ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN, WE WOULD JOIN IN LINE WITH LOTS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE DONE THE ENTERPRISE FUND METHOD.
[01:40:07]
ONE OF THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES AND THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS IS THAT THERE'S AN EXPECTATION FOR-- WHEN YOU PAY FOR SOMETHING, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY AN EXPECTATION, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN ENTERPRISE FUND AND HAVING IT DEFINED WHEN YOU PAY YOUR GAS BILL OR WHEN YOU PAY YOUR INTERNET BILL, YOUR SUDDENLINK OR MAYBE YOUR TV, WHATEVER THAT IS, YOU EXPECT TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'RE USING THAT MONTH.I USE THAT AMOUNT OF GAS TO RUN MY HEATER.
YOU'RE EXPECTING TO PAY THIS MONTH FOR THE CONTINUATION OF SERVICE FOR THE FUTURE AND SO A HIGH DEGREE OF OUR OF RATE SETTING HAS TO BE EVALUATED TO ARE WE PAYING FOR OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE AND GROWTH OF OUR SYSTEM? AND IF WE'RE NOT, THEN OUR RATE IS NOT ACCURATE, AND SO EVEN IF WE ESTABLISH AN ENTERPRISE FUND OR PUT A BOX AROUND THAT POT OF MONEY, IF IT DOESN'T PAY FOR THOSE THREE THINGS AND IT DOESN'T PAY FOR THEM IN OUR COMMUNITY'S PRIORITY LEVEL OF THOSE THREE THINGS, THEY MAY WANT TO OPERATE MORE THAN THEY GROW OR THEY MAY WANT TO MAINTAIN MORE THAN THEY OPERATE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, KYLE, THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, ITEM 1E IS REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
[1.E. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]
ANYTHING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE? ANYTHING FROM THE RIGHT? YES.YES, SIR, MR. SMITH? I'D LIKE TO HEAR A REPORT ON SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS AND A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WENT TO WASHINGTON AND HEAR REPORTS ON WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED OR HOPEFULLY THEY ACCOMPLISHED.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[2. CONSENT ITEMS]
ANYTHING THERE, COUNCIL, THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ANSWERED? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
OKAY, THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
I THINK WE CAN QUICKLY DO OUR NON CONSENT.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK? OKAY, LET'S KEEP GOING THEN.
UM, THREE A IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 8050.
[3.A. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8050:]
MR. CITY MANAGER.I'M GOING TO LET BRADY CHARACTERIZE THESE.
THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE SAME CRITERIA.
SO BRADY, WALK US THROUGH THEM.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THE FIRST REZONING IS TO CONSIDER REZONING A 5.26 ACRE TRACT OF UNPLATTED LAND IN POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS, TO CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE TO OFFICE DISTRICT ONE IN THE VICINITY OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD AND WESTERN STREET, AND THE APPLICANT IS AUBREY BROCKMAN FOR THE BUSH O'BRIAN MARSH TRUST, AND THE ADJACENT ZONING CONSISTS OF AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, ONE TO THE SOUTH AND WEST, AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TWO TO THE EAST.
THE ADJACENT LAND USES CONSIST OF VACANT LAND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD TO THE NORTH SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES TO THE SOUTH SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES AND VACANT LAND TO THE EAST AND A CHURCH TO THE WEST AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE CHANGE OF ZONING IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THIS TRACT WITH A FREESTANDING EMERGENCY ROOM CLINIC.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT THE REQUEST WOULD CONFORM WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT, AND GIVEN THE EXISTING ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS WITHIN THE AREA, THE REQUEST IS A LOGICAL CONTINUATION OF ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS IN THE AREA AND WOULD NOT RESULT IN ANY DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS REGARDING PUBLIC NOTICES.
THREE CALLS WERE RECEIVED THAT WERE GENERAL INQUIRIES AND DID NOT EXPRESS OPPOSITION AND CONSIDERING THE JUST MENTIONED, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH A UNANIMOUS SIX ZERO VOTE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRADY, COUNCIL? OKAY, THANK YOU, BRADY.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM THREE A REGARDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 8050.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR ON OR AGAINST THIS ITEM?
[01:45:04]
OKAY, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A MOTION.MAYOR I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8050.
I'M SORRY. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8050.
REZONING A 5.26 ACRE TRACT OF UNPLATTED LAND IN SECTION 11, BLOCK 9 BS&F SURVEY POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS, PLUS ONE HALF OF ALL BOUNDING STREETS, ALLEYS AND PUBLIC WAYS TO CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE TO OFFICE.
DISTRICT ONE IN THE VICINITY OF WEST AMARILLO BOULEVARD AND WESTERN STREET.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SAME SIGN. THAT PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 3B, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 8051.
[3.B. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8051:]
BRADY. THIS ITEM IS TO CONSIDER REZONING A 3.93 ACRE PORTION OF TRACT THREE RIVER ROAD GARDENS IN POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS.THE CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN THE VICINITY OF RIVER ROAD AND CHERRY AVENUE, AND THE APPLICANT IS DARRYL FUHRMAN FOR LJ4 LEASING LLC.
ADJACENT ZONING CONSISTS OF LIGHT, COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH, RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, ONE TO THE EAST AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO THE WEST.
ADJACENT LAND USES CONSIST OF SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOME TO THE NORTH, A SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOME AND VACANT LAND TO THE SOUTH, SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED HOMES TO THE EAST AND VACANT LAND TO THE WEST.
THE APPLICANT SITE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO HALVES AS THE BUSINESS EXISTED ON THE NORTH HALF OF THE SITE PRIOR TO THE ANNEXATION INTO THE CITY IN 1964, WITH THE SOUTH HALF BEING ADDED ONTO THE SITE IN 1983, WHICH IS ILLUSTRATED ON THIS SLIDE AND AS ADDITIONAL CONTEXT, THE BUSINESS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1961, THREE YEARS PRIOR TO THIS AREA BEING ANNEXED.
BASED ON THE HISTORY OF THE SITE, THE APPLICANT IS CURRENTLY ABLE TO UTILIZE THE AREA ZONED LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND ALSO THE AREAS ON THE NORTH HALF OF THE SITE THAT IS ZONED RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE AS THE USE ON THAT PORTION OF THE LOT WOULD BE CONSIDERED LEGAL NONCONFORMING, BASED ON STAFF'S RESEARCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE USE.
THE APPLICANT HAD PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED A REQUEST IN 2021 FOR LC, BUT DISCUSSION WAS UNDERWAY AT THAT TIME TO INCORPORATE THE APPLICANT'S PLANS INTO A PLAN DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FOR SURROUNDING RESIDENTS.
HOWEVER, THE REQUEST WAS WITHDRAWN AT THAT TIME PRIOR TO P&Z CONSIDERATION IN THE FALL OF 2021.
THE APPLICANT DID REQUEST LC LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING ONCE AGAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR.
WHILE STAFF DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST FOR LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING ON THE TRACK.
THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID APPROVE THE REQUEST UNANIMOUSLY.
SIX ZERO BASED ON THE FOLLOWING, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION FOUND THAT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST DOES NOT CONFORM WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP CATEGORY, WHICH IS A STATE. HOWEVER, THEY FELT THAT THERE WERE ADDITIONAL FACTORS IN THIS INSTANCE WORTH NOTING.
REGARDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT, THE COMMISSION IDENTIFIED THAT THIS SECTION OF LAND THAT THE APPLICANT'S TRACT IS WITHIN DID NOT CONFORM WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT CONCEPT AS PORTIONS OF THIS AREA WERE UNDERDEVELOPED WHEN THE AREA WAS ANNEXED, AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE TWO TXDOT RIGHT OF WAYS THAT RUN ACROSS THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE SECTION, WHICH IS THE DUMAS HIGHWAY AND RIVER ROAD. WHILE TYPICALLY LIGHT COMMERCIAL ZONING WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDED TO EXPAND 575FT EASTWARD AS REQUESTED, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, WHEN CONSIDERING THE JUST MENTIONED AND THE FOLLOWING, BELIEVE THE REQUEST WAS APPROPRIATE.
GIVEN THAT THE IMMEDIATE AREA IS LARGELY DEVELOPED WITH ONLY A HANDFUL OF REMAINING TRACKS LEFT, IT WAS THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION'S OPINION THAT ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF NOTE IN THE AREA WOULD NOT OCCUR AND LEAD TO ADDITIONAL LAND USE AND COMPATIBILITY ISSUES.
[01:50:03]
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS OR CHARACTER OF THE AREA, AND EXISTING DEVELOPMENT AND CODE SAFEGUARDS ARE SUFFICIENT TO PROTECT RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.NOTICES WERE SENT AS REQUIRED AND NO COMMENTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS OF THIS MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRADY ABOUT THIS ITEM? THANK YOU, BRADY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 3B IN REGARD TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 8051.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8051 REZONING A 3.93 ACRE PORTION OF TRACT THREE RIVER ROAD GARDENS, A SUBDIVISION OUT OF SECTION 161, BLOCK 2, AB&M SURVEY POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS, PLUS ONE HALF OF ALL BOUNDING STREETS, ALLEYS AND PUBLIC WAYS TO CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO LIGHT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT IN THE VICINITY OF RIVER ROAD AND CHERRY AVENUE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SAME SIGN. THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.
ITEM 3C IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 0314234.
[3.C. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 03-14-23-4:]
MR. CITY MANAGER.ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, WE HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, STEPHANIE RODARTE SCIUTO, WHO'S GOING TO PRESENT THE ITEM WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT ON B A FUNDING PLAN, AN ALLOCATION PLAN FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, MONEY DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS THROUGH HUD AND THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES THAT GUIDE THIS MONEY.
STEPHANIE IS GOING TO GIVE US A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM AND ALSO GO OVER SOME OF THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES THAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS A LITTLE OVER TWO AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL HAS.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DO WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO, STEPHANIE, WALK US THROUGH IT AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND SO WE WANT TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HOME ARP ALLOCATION.
THIS ARP MONEY FELL UNDER THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF A LITTLE OVER $2.5 MILLION AND IN THAT TIME THEN HUD HAD TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT GUIDANCE WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, WHAT THIS PROGRAM WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
SO WE'VE BEEN LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT OURSELVES.
THERE WERE FOUR ACTIVITIES IN WHICH WE COULD APPLY THIS MONEY.
THOSE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORTIVE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THOSE WERE THE FOUR ACTIVITIES, AND IN ADDITION TO THOSE REQUIREMENTS, WE ALSO HAD TO BE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO DO WITH THOSE FUNDS THAT WE ADDRESS FOUR DIFFERENT WHAT THEY CALL QUALIFYING POPULATIONS OR QP'S, THOSE ARE FIRST, THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
ALSO UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, THOSE WHO ARE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IS THE NEXT CATEGORY, AND THIS IS ALSO A BROADER A BROADER INTERPRETATION OF HOMELESSNESS, FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO FLEE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS THE THIRD CATEGORY OR QUALIFYING POPULATION, AND THE FOURTH IS PART OF OTHER POPULATIONS WHERE PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES OR ASSISTANCE WOULD PREVENT A FAMILY'S HOMELESSNESS OR WOULD SERVE THOSE WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF HOUSING INSTABILITY.
WE HAD TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
[01:55:02]
WE ALSO HAD TO ENGAGE OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST IN OUR COMMUNITY.WE WENT TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, DIFFERENT EVENTS IN WHICH WE COULD ENGAGE THE PUBLIC, AND WE HAD THOSE SURVEYS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT ALSO WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERING ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE OVER 40 DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND THOSE OUTSIDE THE CONTINUUM OF CARE TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE THOSE PRIORITIES AND NEEDS.
WE ALSO RECEIVED OVER 530 SURVEYS FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE, THOSE WHO WERE SURVEYED, IT'S THOSE WHO WERE IN NEED OF SERVICES MOST THAT RESPONDED IN GREAT PROPORTION TO THOSE SURVEYS.
I THINK IT WAS FEWER THAN 10% AT THE TIME, HAD SUBMITTED ALLOCATION PLANS AND EVEN AT CHRISTMAS, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS LAST YEAR, THERE WERE VERY FEW COMMUNITIES THAT HAD SUBMITTED AND APPROVED ALLOCATION PLAN UNDER 20%, AND THEN HUD ALSO SAID YOUR DEADLINE TO DO THIS AND TO SUBMIT AN ALLOCATION PLAN IS THE END OF MARCH.
THOSE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WOULD BE ADMINISTERED THROUGH COMING HOME.
WE PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE OUTREACH SERVICES TO THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE PROVIDE HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO HOUSING, AND THEN WE ALSO PROVIDE THROUGH COMING HOME THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, ONCE WE'VE SECURED HOUSING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE HOME.
WE'RE ABLE TO PARTNER WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THAT TBRA OPTION, TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE OPTION, WE ALREADY HAVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF TBRA AND THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO WE UTILIZE THOSE PROGRAMS TO OFFER THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN ADDITION TO THAT ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT AND PEER SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER IN THE HOME, AND SO THAT WAS THE DETERMINATION.
THE OTHER 15% WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
SO THAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION AND THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH DETERMINED.
WE ARE CONCLUDING TODAY'S PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE ENGAGED IN A 15 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN WHICH THE COMMUNITY COULD REACH OUT, LET US KNOW WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE.
SO WE RECEIVED FOUR COMMENTS TO THAT END, AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
YES. STEPHANIE, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
IN REGARDS TO THE QUALIFYING POPULATIONS.
WOULD THAT INCLUDE THEIR FAMILIES? YES, MA'AM. SO IT WILL INCLUDE FAMILIES AND VETERANS WHO WHO WOULD FALL UNDER ONE OF THESE FOUR PREVIOUSLY LISTED QUALIFYING POPULATIONS.
YEAH. MR. STANLEY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. THE 2.1 MILLION THAT'S BEING ALLOCATED TO COMMUNITY SERVICES.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A SIMPLE BREAKDOWN OF MAYBE HOW THAT MONEY WILL BE ALLOCATED AND BEST SPENT? LIKE WHICH CATEGORY AND YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE? SURE. SO AT THIS TIME, WE JUST KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING.
WE JUST KNOW THAT AT THIS TIME THAT'S GOING TO BE HOW IT'S ALLOCATED TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
IT CAN BE USED FOR A BROAD NUMBER OF THINGS.
IT CAN BE USED FOR OUTREACH SERVICES TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE LIFESAVING SUPPLIES.
IT PROVIDES A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY.
MAYBE THE HOME OR THE HOUSEHOLD THAT'S AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS IS EXPERIENCING A CAR THAT IS JUST BROKEN AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLACE A BATTERY OR REPLACE THE TIRES ON THE CAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE.
WE STILL ARE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THROUGH EXACTLY HOW TO PARSE OUT THOSE FUNDS.
WE JUST KNOW THAT THIS THIS FUNDING WILL GO TO SUPPORT PREDOMINANTLY THE STAFF, THE STAFFING REQUIRED TO EXECUTE THE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES. CAN YOU TELL ME THE QUANTITY OF STAFF THERE?
[02:00:01]
ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS? DO WE HAVE MORE THAN THAT? YES, SIR. YEAH. IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT FOR ME.AS OUR FUNDING IS DEPLETED IN OTHER FORMS. SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE AN HSS GRANT THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES OR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, AND THAT GRANT, AFTER IT EXPANDS IN ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN REAPPLY FOR.
THOSE FUNDS AREN'T ELIGIBLE TO REAPPLY.
SO AS FUNDS ARE DEPLETED, WE'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT TO CONTINUE WITH THE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE.
SO ESSENTIALLY, IN PART IT WILL BE USED THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE LIFETIME OF THE GRANT UNTIL IT'S EXPENDED TO FUND THOSE 20 POSITIONS, DEPENDING ON WHEN THE FUNDS EXPEND.
IS IT A CORRECT TERM TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AS NAVIGATORS? YES, THERE ARE TWO HOUSING NAVIGATORS RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, YES, THAT IS MY QUESTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? KIND OF A RANDOM QUESTION, BUT RELATED.
DO YOU KNOW, DOES THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS EMBEDDED IN SCHOOLS OTHER THAN I KNOW AT ONE TIME THEY HAD TWO THAT WORKED WITH AND THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY TIES IN STUDENTS WHO WERE IN THAT HIGH RISK.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE WERE SOCIAL WORKER POSITIONS, BUT DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, STEPHANIE? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE HOMELESS LIAISON, OF COURSE, KIMBER THOMPSON, THAT SHE HAS A TEAM AND SHE HAS SOCIAL WORKERS ON HER TEAM.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SOCIAL WORKERS EMBEDDED IN EACH SCHOOL, BUT I DO KNOW THAT SHE AND HER DEPARTMENT HAVE A REALLY GOOD THUMB ON THE PULSE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN TERMS OF STUDENT HOMELESSNESS AND THIS MCKINNEY-VENTO INCLUSION IN HERE WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT.
SO WE WILL WORK WITH-- PART OF THIS HOME ARP REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE UTILIZE THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND THE COORDINATED ENTRY, SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE REFERRALS FROM ALL SORTS OF AGENCIES FOR PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY, INDIVIDUALS WHO QUALIFY FOR THESE SERVICES, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I MEAN [INAUDIBLE].
HOW ARE WE HELPING THOSE KIDS WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS OF EVERY OTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'VE SET UP TO TRY AND HELP? SO AND THIS IS COOL BECAUSE IT DOES EXPAND THE DEFINITION.
WE USE MUCH MORE RIGID DEFINITION IN MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, RIGHT? LIKE IN OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT AND ALL OF THAT.
OH, JUST EXPLAINING FOR A CITIZEN WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING A MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT IS THE COC, WHAT IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE? THAT'S A TERM OF ART THAT GETS USED A LOT IN HUD SETTINGS, BUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T TOUCH THAT OFTEN ARE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WHAT IS THE COC? YES. SO THE COC IS A COLLECTION AND COLLABORATION OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT ARE HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THAT HAVE AN INTEREST IN SUPPORTING THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND DEVELOPING SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND SO THE CITY OF AMARILLO SERVES AS THE LEAD AGENCY, BUT WE HAVE PARTICIPATION FROM MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, AND HOW OFTEN DOES OUR COC MEET? RIGHT NOW THE COC IS MEETING EVERY OTHER MONTH AND THE BOARD FOR THE COC MEETS MONTHLY.
OKAY, AND IT'S A PRETTY BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT COME EVERY TIME.
YES. SO I WOULD SAY PROBABLY OVER 20, EASILY OVER 20 AGENCIES ARE REPRESENTED AND I KNOW THE LAST MEETING WAS REALLY ROBUST, BUT YES, WE HAVE LOTS OF PARTICIPATION.
IF WEBSTER'S EVER NEEDS A DEFINITION FLAT FOOTED ON WHAT IS A COC, THEY SHOULD HIRE YOU.
I THINK YOU NAILED THAT. THAT WAS GREAT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, I DO THINK WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, STEPHANIE, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 3C, WHICH IS RESOLUTION 0314234.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON, OR AGAINST THIS ITEM MAY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DO SO.
IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 3C.
MAYOR I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 03-14-23-4 ADOPTING AN ALLOCATION PLAN FOR AN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION AND AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 ANNUAL
[02:05:06]
ACTION PLAN TO INCLUDE SAID ALLOCATION ALLOCATION PLAN IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,560,840, AND THAT'S THE HOME ARPA FUNDING TOTAL.SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM SECONDED BY MR. SMITH TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 03-14-23-4.
ANY QUESTIONS OR FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE D CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 8052 MR.
[3.D. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8052]
CITY MANAGER. ALL RIGHT, MAYOR, WE'VE GOT STEPHANIE AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT SOME HUD REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO INCORPORATE SO THAT WE ARE REFLECTING EXACTLY WHAT HUD WANTS US TO DO WITH THAT GROUP.STOLE A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR THUNDER THERE. I APOLOGIZE.
YES. SO AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT FIRM TO HELP US ENSURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE IN FACT, DOING THE WORK THAT HUD WANTS THEM TO DO. HUD IS REALLY DENSE AND THICK WITH REGULATIONS AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
SO WE'VE ENGAGED ASSISTANCE FOR THIS PROCESS IN THIS PROCESS, IN LOOKING AT THE EXISTING ORDINANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ALSO, WE WANTED TO BE SURE WE EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT THOSE THAT THESE PROGRAMS ASSIST, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR REVISIONS TO THE ORDINANCE ARE REQUESTING.
THIS IS THE FIRST READING, AND SO THAT'S WE SUBMIT TO YOU FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
QUESTIONS FOR STEPHANIE ABOUT THAT, COUNCIL? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
MOTION REGARDING THIS ITEM? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 8052 AMENDING THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO CHAPTER 2-6 ARTICLE 12 PROVIDING FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, SECONDED BY MR. STANLEY TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 8052.
ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
[3.E. CONSIDER APPROVAL - LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND PLANT-AS-DNPS-003-2 LLC]
PLANT-AS-DNPS-003-2, LLC.MR. CARTER. MAYOR, COUNCIL, THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND PRESENT THIS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT PRESENTING THE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
I'M GOING TO READ THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A LOT TO SAY.
[CHUCKLING] PLANT AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS OR PLANT-AS IS AN INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR FOOD SYSTEMS. THEY ARE ESTABLISHING A NETWORK OF HIGH TECH GREENHOUSES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
THAT INTELLIGENCE THAT PROCESSES A WIDE RANGE OF CROP CYCLE DATA, ALLOWING THE CONSUMER ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE FRESH PRODUCE THEY ARE PURCHASING.
OR AS A CONSUMER, YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN YOUR TOMATO WAS PLANTED AND WHEN IT WAS PICKED AND WHO PICKED IT AND EXACTLY WHEN IT CAME INTO THE FACILITY WHERE YOU'RE BUYING IT IN THE AUDIENCE.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM PLANT, AND THAT IS SARAH GALL.
SHE IS DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL BRAND PRESENTATION, AND IRA PEREZ, SHE'S THE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR PLANT.
SO WELCOME. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE THAT PLANT IS LOOKING AT PURSUING IN THE AMARILLO AREA IS BUILDING A FACILITY ON 400 ACRES THAT IS LOCATED.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUMP [INAUDIBLE] THERE.
ON 400 ACRES THAT WE HAVE IN WHAT WE'RE CALLING CENTER PORT EAST.
THAT BUILDING ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT OR BOTTOM LEFT OF THE ORANGE OUTLINE.
THAT'S SSI FOODS, AND THIS IS 400 ACRES.
THEY WOULD CONSTRUCT THE FACILITY AND EMPLOY UP TO 740 NEW JOBS.
[02:10:02]
THOSE JOBS WOULD COME ONLINE IN THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.SO 740 JOBS, NOT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.
EVERYBODY WANTS SOMETHING WITHIN A DAY OR TWO.
THE AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CONSIDERED THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT THAT GAVE THAT CONVEYED THE 400 ACRES OF LAND THAT THE AEDC CURRENTLY OWNS WOULD BE CONVEYED TO PLANT.
THEY WOULD ALSO WE WOULD ALSO PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE OF $3,750,000 OR $5000 PER JOB, UP TO 750 EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD BE PAID OUT OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD AS THOSE JOBS ARE CREATED.
THE AEDC BOARD APPROVED THE AGREEMENT ON FEBRUARY 27TH ON A 5-0 VOTE, AND SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT AS PRESENTED.
CERTAINLY WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS. MR. STANLEY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
HOW MANY SQUARE FEET OF GREENHOUSES WILL GO ON THIS 400 ACRES.
[INAUDIBLE] THE SQUARE FOOTAGE IS, SARAH? SARAH, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU. DO YOU MIND STEPPING UP HERE? THERE ARE PEOPLE AT HOME WATCHING OR AT THEIR OFFICES THAT WANT TO BE INFORMED, AND IF YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, THEY WILL BE MORE INFORMED.
THANK YOU. SO WE CAN GET YOU THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE NUMBER BUT THE PROJECTED NUMBER OF GREENHOUSES OVER SEVEN YEARS IS TEN TOTAL GREENHOUSES.
TEN LARGE GREENHOUSES ON 400 ACRES, AND THEN IS THERE, YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURAL IN BETWEEN THOSE GREENHOUSES, OR WILL ALL OF THE GROWING BE DONE HYDROPONICALLY? ALL OF THE GROWING WILL BE DONE UNDER GLASS HYDROPONICALLY.
OKAY, SO EVERYTHING'S INSIDE THE GREENHOUSES.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER USAGES OF THAT LAND DO YOU HAVE SOME GROWTH IN THAT 400 ACRES, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PAST THOSE TEN GREENHOUSES? OR WILL THAT BASICALLY TAKE UP--THE GREENHOUSES ARE PROJECTED TO TAKE UP THE 400 ACRES.
OKAY, YEAH, SO THOSE ARE GOING TO BE BIG.
TYPES OF PRODUCE THAT YOU'LL MAINLY FOCUS ON, PLEASE? SO WE CAN GROW ANY TYPE OF FRESH PRODUCE.
OKAY, IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET ARE YOU GUYS IS IT A TYPICAL MARKET AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TARGETING OR ARE YOU MORE OR LESS EXPENSIVE BASED ON WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND GET.
OUR PRODUCTS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT A PREMIUM.
THEY WILL BE AT PRICES THAT ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU SEE IN THE GROCERY STORE.
SO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE AS AN END CONSUMER IN THE GROCERY STORE, THE PRICES WOULD NOT BE A PREMIUM.
THEY WOULD BE WHAT YOU'RE USED TO SEEING IN A GROCERY STORE.
OKAY, MY LAST QUESTION WOULD JUST BE, CAN YOU ESTIMATE FOR ME PERIPHERAL COMPANIES THAT YOU GUYS WOULD ALSO WORK IN? DO YOU CAN YOU TELL ME TRUCKING AND TRANSPORTATION, THINGS LIKE THAT YOU COULD POINT TO AND SAY, WELL, WE'LL HAVE AN IMPACT IN THESE OTHER INDUSTRIES AS WELL.
SO I CAN'T NECESSARILY COMMENT ON THE PERIPHERALS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED.
WE PLAN TO DO A LOT OF THAT WITHIN OUR OWN PRODUCTION FACILITY.
YES, SIR, OF COURSE. OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE A SITE LAYOUT.
IT'S NOT PART OF Y'ALL'S PACKET OR NOT PART OF THIS PACKET.
I DO HAVE A SITE LAYOUT THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT.
SURE. THANK YOU. YOU'D BE GROWING A CROP OF, LET'S SAY, TOMATOES, AND THEN YOU'D DO IT AGAIN.
YOU DO IT ALL YEAR ROUND? YES, SIR. ALL YEAR ROUND.
WIND WON'T AFFECT YOU THEN? I'M SORRY. THE WIND WON'T AFFECT YOU.
THE WIND ACTUALLY WOULD BE USED TO OUR BENEFIT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO USE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SUCH AS WIND AND SOLAR.
[02:15:02]
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT WEST TEXAS IS YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF WIND, AS I EXPERIENCED EARLIER TODAY WITH THE TEAM.[CHUCKLING] SO WE DO PLAN TO USE THE WIND AS A PART OF OUR ENERGY SOURCE.
YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING YET.
[LAUGHTER] MY HAIR SAYS OTHERWISE.
I RECOMMEND YOU BUY A PURSE THAT CAN HOLD ROCKS.
ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FILL ME IN ON ALL THE PRO TIPS.
WE ARE THE WINDIEST CITY IN AMERICA.
IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THAT'S VERY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US AND OUR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY MODEL.
YEAH, WELL, I THINK THAT'S FASCINATING.
SO HERE'S WHAT I GET FROM LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING US, MR. CARTER: OVER 20 YEARS, THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT IS PROJECTED TO BE A LITTLE BIT UNDER $500M.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE 20 YEAR ECONOMIC IMPACT IS ABOUT 1.3 BILLION.
SO ABOUT $65 MILLION PER YEAR OVER A 20 YEAR PERIOD.
OKAY, WHERE AM I READING THAT INCORRECTLY? IF YOU LOOK AT I DON'T KNOW IF THE POINTER WORKS.
OKAY, SO ADDING THOSE TWO NUMBERS TOGETHER, WITH THE $500 MILLION IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
SO THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THAT. SO AROUND 1.8 BILLION AS A 20 YEAR IMPACT.
OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL.
SO YOU GUYS ARE A PART OF THAT GROWTH AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR PRODUCTS AND IMPACT HITTING IN OUR ECONOMY.
THANK YOU. IRA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING IN AMARILLO TODAY, TOO.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. OKAY, SO PART OF THAT PROCESS WITH THAT 740 JOBS IS PLANT HAS ENGAGED WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT AMARILLO HAS THE WORKFORCE AVAILABLE AND THE WORKFORCE NEEDS ARE THERE OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS AND BEYOND.
SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT, AND SO HOPEFULLY I THINK THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK THERE, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS HAS BEEN INVOLVED. THEY'VE REACHED OUT [INAUDIBLE].
GREAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL. OKAY, THANK YOU BOTH.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO APPROVING THIS LIA? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE A LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND PLANT-AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS-DNPS-003-2, UNDER WHICH THE EMERALD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL PROVIDE PLANT-AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS-DNPS-003-2 $3,750,000 PAID OUT OVER FIVE YEARS FOR THE CREATION OF UP TO 750 JOBS AND THE EMERALD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WILL CONVEY 400 ACRES IN THE VICINITY OF FOLSOM ROAD AND 24TH AVENUE, VALUED AT $4,800,000 TO PLANT-AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS-DNPS-003-2.
BEFORE YOU APPROVE THAT, I THINK IT'S A TEN YEAR PAYOUT, NOT A FIVE YEAR.
SO THAT MAY BE A MISPRINT ON MY PART.
IT'S A TEN YEAR, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? IT IS A TEN YEAR. YEAH, IT SAYS FIVE YEAR.
OKAY, YEAH, IT SAYS FIVE YEARS ON THE TRANSMITTAL MEMOS, BUT IT'S A TEN YEAR PAYOUT.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
I WOULD AMEND MY MOTION TO CORRECT THAT.
OKAY, DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE AMENDED MOTION? SECOND. DR. SAUER.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY DR.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ABOUT IT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SAME SIGN. OKAY, MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE DOING BUSINESS IN OUR CITY, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO LOVE HAVING YOU.
[3.F. CONSIDER APPROVAL - TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF AMARILLO AND AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SW 003 DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS LLC]
YEAH, MAYOR, THAT WAS THE LOCATION INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.WE ALSO HAVE THE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS ITEM IS GOING TO REPRESENT THE INCENTIVES THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED OF AND PROVIDED BY THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S ALSO BEING REQUESTED FROM THE OTHER TAXING JURISDICTIONS THAT THE PROJECT FALLS WITHIN.
[02:20:05]
KEVIN. ALL RIGHT, SO AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, LET ME GO BACK OVER HERE AS PART OF THE $1.3 BILLION PLUS THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, ABOUT $1.8 BILLION, THIS WOULD BE THIS ITEM WOULD BE TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SW003 DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS, LLC.SORT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, $500 MILLION IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UP TO 750 NEW EMPLOYEES, 100 IN PHASE ONE, 100,000,000 IN CAPITAL EXPENDITURE IN THAT FIRST PHASE.
YOU ALL JUST APPROVED AN INCENTIVE OF $5,000 FOR EACH JOB PAID OUT OVER TEN YEARS AS THEY CREATED.
THIS ITEM WOULD CONSIDER A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT OF 100% AND THEN DECREASING 10% OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS. SO STAIR STEPPED APPROACH KIND OF DIFFERENT THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT THAT WOULD BE 100 YEARS IN THE FIRST YEAR AND THEN 90 IN THE SECOND YEAR AND THEN SO FORTH DOWN.
SO CERTAINLY WOULD BE WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO THIS ITEM.
NO QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU, MR. CARTER.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 3F? YES, MAYOR, WE DO. I MOVE TO APPROVE A TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE AMARILLO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND SW003 DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS LLC, UNDER WHICH SW003 DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS LLC WILL RECEIVE A STAIR STEP ABATEMENT OVER A TEN YEAR PERIOD WITH 100% ABATEMENT IN YEAR ONE DECREASING BY 10% EACH OF THE FOLLOWING YEARS ON A REAL BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT, AND DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION OR QUESTIONS COUNCIL ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL WE HAVE LEFT ARE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS.
[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION:]
SO I WOULD ASK LESLIE, WHO'S SITTING IN TODAY FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY, TO READ OUR DISMISSAL LANGUAGE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CLOSED SESSION OF THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON THE ABOVE DATE OF MARCH 14TH, 2023, AT 3:24 P.M.
UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY SECTION 551.07 TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE, SALE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.
SECTION 551.087 DISCUSS COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT WITH WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION OR RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR INCENTIVES.
THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND [INAUDIBLE] FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE [INAUDIBLE].
THANK YOU, LESLIE. WITH THAT, WE'RE DISMISSED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.